Immortal Beloved
by regertz
Summary: -Different versions of what happened during and post the rendevous in Rome of the Angel "Girl in Question" episode.  Brainstorming fragments, shorties, a few full tales but unless indicated not sequential tales.
1. Chapter 1

A few of my "Immortal Beloved" bits-fragments, shorties, complete tales...But unless indicated for a particular tale, they are not a connected series...

Warning...I have fun in many, so expect Buffy and co to take a few pratfalls...And some very surreal (ok, flaky) ones...

"Immortal Beloved..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: A brainstorming set of quickies, fragments, and a few full tales, exploit of upcoming rumors before Joss does something stupid like pair Buf off with some jerk we've never heard of...(ie, begun during the last season of Angel).

Rome, May 2004...The underground catacomb lair of 'the Immortal'...A sort of vamp Jude Law clone...Very much full of himself...Perhaps with reason as he appears to have the Slayer in his grasp...

"And tell your dear old loves, my Buffy..." the Immortal sneered at the thrall-bound Slayer... "Who I have to thank for my triumph..."

"William and Angel..." she murmured, blank-eyed...

"And why?..."

"I loved them...But I failed them...I didn't help them..."

"That's not true, love..." William called to her...Struggling against the grip of the enslaved bondsmen holding him and Angel...

"And, so...When I appeared...The First of All Human Vampires...Showing myself a noble creature, able to fight-off my blood lust...Pleading for help with my dreadful curse..."

"I wanted to help you..." Buffy finished... "And I didn't want to care about the consequences..."

"Such compassion...Pity it was so misplaced...William..." The Immortal turned back to him... "It is you I have most to thank...I took my cue from your pathetic romantic sniveling...And her guilt over you did the rest..."

Not to slight you, Angelus...he smiled...

"It was so easy...A few heroics to convince her I was sincere in my desire for redemption...A few romantic gestures...Rescuing her sister from my own agents...Ha!..."

Hard to believe this simpleton defeated the First...he gave Buffy a contemptuous look...But then, the First always had a built-in sense of defeat...

"And now, a final taste...And she will join me as my Consort...And we will rule all...Including your Wolfram-Hart, Angel..."

I'm sure they will much prefer us as their masters...Eh, Buffy...He turned...

"Nah..." she shook her head...The blank-eyed stare gone...He stared at her...Angel and William exchanging wry grins... "I don't like the idea of being cooped behind a desk all day...Or night...Lets leave W-H to Angel..." She staked the Immortal before he could make a move...

Angel threw back his shaken guards, Will joining in in a moment...Within five minutes it was over, Buffy having taken down several herself, the others not done in by the boys fleeing down the cavern...

"Thanks for coming guys...Knew ya would..." she grinned... "What a loser..." she stared at the ashes... "Dracula had more appeal...and lots more class..."

"Hey, Angel...Sorry Giles handled that thing with Winifred so badly...Though Willow did say nothing could be done except maybe time-travel...She'll look into it..."

"I want you to know I gave him a piece of my mind over it...He's still skittish around you, I'm afraid..."

And as for you...she frowned at Will...Then a beaming smile...

"The things a girl has to do to get her own true to finally show..."

Immortal Beloved II..."

A shortie

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's...

Summary: Another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Buffy's room in her and Dawn's apartment, Rome...

Standing over the ashes of the famed-but-rather-easily-taken-down Immortal, Angel and William glanced round the place...

A man's suit hanging...About my height Angel noted...

"She always prefers height..." he eyed William who frowned...Only two out of four, mate...If ole Red was right in tellling me about that Ford fellow...

"Snappy dresser..." Will looked over the suit and pair of Italian mens' shoes beneath it... "My Buf always did go for a sharp-dressed fella..." he grinned at Angel... "Guess she was feelin' charitable in your case, Boss..."

Glare from the Brooding One...Who reminded his new junior associate partner that he was indeed the paycheck-signing Boss...

Italian bloke, you think?...William turned serious...Probably...Angel sighed...

"Well, then...Guess that's that..." William was curt...Angel gave a rather sympathetic look...Gotta get used to this with the Buffed One, Spike...he noted...

"She keeps her eye on the future...Doesn't like to focus on the past..."

"Sure...Heck...I never expected she'd be waiting in mourning for me...Would've been nice to see her again, though..." Will sighed... "Not that I'd've held her to what she said, of course..."

Would've been...Angel nodded...Eyeing the downcast William...

"You know...She is gonna be dust while you're still footloose and fancy-free..."

Yeah...

But...

"I would've gladly dusted or flamed out with her the day she went...But like I say, I never expected..."

Sure...Angel nodded..."Well, I guess we'd better call our host...And tell him 'Mission Accomplished'..." he pulled out a cell phone and punched...

The door to the hotel hallway opened immediately...Andrew and three Slayers...

"Gentlemen, I have returned with reinforcements as promised...Help is..."

Got 'im, Andrew...William noted...

Oh...Well...

"Nice job, boys...Angel...I shall inform Mr. Giles you performed as according to our organization's high standards and recommend we review the possibility of renewed contact..."

Thanks...Angel noted drily... "Just tell Giles I haven't joined Evil's ranks...And to be a little more polite next time I ask for help for an innocent friend..."

Yeah...Sorry about Ms. Burkle...Andrew nodded...

"So...Shall I escort you to your rooms?...Buffy and Dawn should be back tomorrow..."

They'll want to thank you in person, I'm sure...he beamed...

Angel looked at Will...William at Angel...

Nah...They answered... "I guess we'll be headed back..." Angel replied...Andrew staring...But...

"Tell Buf I wish her and whoever the best..." Will called as they headed out...

"But fellas..." Andrew called after them...But they were gone in an instant...

"Of course..." Angel noted as they sat on the plane for LA... "I was her first..."

A girl always remembers her first...

"Too bad you don't..." William smirked... "...'Less of course you retain more of Angelus than you generally care to admit..."

"Besides..." he grinned... "I was the one in her knickers the longest...Even outdid ole Finn...Endurance, young Christ...That's the ticket...Why we must've rocked the universe, oh...About a hundred times..."

"With a lil' squirt like you, it would take a hundred times for her to remember you..."

"Need I remind you...I died for her...Voluntarily...She did not have to shove me into Hell..."

"She dreamed of marrying me..."

"Loved her soullessly...And regained my soul for her...Again, voluntarily...Top that, mate..."

"I was her first..." Angel, with an air of settling the matter...

"She saved the best for last..." Will replied...

Well...he sighed...Guess not the last...

Hmmn...Angel eyed him...Down in the dumps again...

"You know, Will...She is not the brightest girl in the world...Not exactly a culture fan...And rather high maintenance...Not to mention...A bit on the short side..."

And frankly...She's never exactly tried to help either of us overcome our darker natures...Beyond when she needs us to fight...

Will stared at him...

"I'm just sayin'...She's not the only girl in the world..."

"Sure...Thanks..." Will smiled...

"But she is the only Buffy..."

Yeah...Angel sighed...She is that...

"I don't understand..." Buffy stared at Andrew... "They killed the Immortal and then just left...William didn't even leave a message?...Why?..." Andrew shrugged...

She turned to the man beside her... "Dad, I hafta to make a trip to LA...Pronto..."

Hank Summers frowned a bit...

The guy I tole you about...she grinned sheepishly...Say...

"Here's your suit...Came back while we were away..."

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"Immortal Beloved...III..."

A bit longer this time...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Obviously, I'm havin' fun with this...

Rome...May 5th, 2004...

Non dimenticar...

Play

Non dimenticar means don`t forget you are my darling

Don`t forget to be

All you mean to me

Non dimenticar my love is like a star, my darling

Shining bright and clear

Just because you`re here

Please do not forget that our lips have met

And I`ve held you tight, dear

Was it dreams ago my heart felt this glow?

Or only just tonight, dear?

Non dimenticar although you travel far, my darling

It`s my heart you own, so I`ll wait alone

Non dimenticar

Se ci separ, se ci allontan

L`ala del destino

Non ne ho colpa, no, e mi sentiro sempre a te vicino

Non dimenticar although you travel far, my darling

It`s my heart you own, so I`ll wait alone

Non dimenticar

"Angel?...William?..." Buffy stared at the boys standing in the doorway of her apartment...

"Buffy..." Will stared at her... "Hello, Buffy..." Angel nodded...

"What the hell?..." Surprise in her voice, but somewhat to William's repressed dismay, not the shock he'd half-expected...

Nor the joy...Somewhere inside he'd hoped for...

"Buffy...Andrew called us...Said you'd been targeted by..." William began...

"Buffy?..." a distinguished, accented voice...Of a tall, handsome, young-but-immensely-experienced man who now entered the room from an adjoining one...

"Angelus..." the man gasped...

"Henri..." Buffy turned to him... "This is..."

"Buffy...That is your assassin..." Angel glared at the man... "Henri Faucomb d'Vestigy...Otherwise known as..."

"The Immortal...Yeah, yeah..." she waved a hand... "I know all about it...But Andrew's got it wrong...Henri hasn't been stalking me..."

Well...She grinned...Not stalking me to kill me anyway...

"William?...Please stop choking my fiancee..." she glared at the William now bent over the thrown-to-the-ground Henri...Gasping under his grip...

Fiancee...? William blinked...

Fiancee...? Angel sighed...Not quite so surprised...

Fiancee...Buffy nodded...

"Human-souled fiancee I should add...Which I'm sure you can confirm if you look him over..."

For love of me...she beamed...As Will glared at the worthless little copycat of a French fop vamp beneath him...

"Fellas...May I present...Let him up, William!...Count Henri Faucomb d'Vestigy, last surviving member of the d'Vestigy family...The oldest living human hybrid vampire...Formerly known as 'the Immortal'...Newly human souled..."

And newly restored to his ancestral estates...With the help of phony documents provided by my Council...she smiled at the slowly recovering...If you would please, Monsieur Walthrop?...He took Will's remaining hand off his throat...Henri...

"And my latest..." Buffy beamed...

What?...She stared at the boys' somewhat clouded faces...

"Oh, right...I was supposed to wait and hope you'd transcend the grave again, William?...I thought we'd settled that we didn't really have a future...Nice as all you did for me was...And grateful as I am..." she nodded...

And as for you...She eyed Angel...

Darla...Sex...Connor...No helping Dawn when I croaked?...

"I think that about says it all..."

"Buffy...You can't trust this one..." William tried...

"William...He loves me...And I helped him win his soul back in Africa..."

By the way thanks for confirming the existence of that demon god...she nodded...

Helped him?...William stared...

"You helped him get his soul back?..."

"Well..." she shrugged... "It was really kinda for you...And you, Angel..."

I felt kinda bad after Will fried...And when Henri showed up...And was so remorseful after his long existence...After I whipped his Immortal butt of course...she noted...And begged me for help...

And told you about his potential inheritance...Angel thought...The last possible claimant to the d'Vestigy estates...

"I thought of you, Will...And what could I do?...I just couldn't say no...I had to take an active role..." she gave a firm, dutiful look...

But...He stared at her...

"You mean if I had called you..."

"Well...No...Not really...Like I said, Will...We'd agreed you and I weren't going places...And actually Willow'd kinda learned you might be in LA as a ghost or somethin'..."

Dawn had her try to reach you by seance...That romantic lil' sis of mine...

"Course I hoped she would too...And was I disappointed when it didn't reach you...Yeah..." she nodded...

But life goes on, ya know?...

"Indeed..." Henri smiled...

Shut up...The boys glared at him...Ummn...He sat down...

"Willow did trace your mystic aura to LA...Told me you must be incorporeal...So I figured that was that..."

"I was nearly dragged to Hell, Buffy..." Will stared at her... "Why didn't you ask Willow to do something to help me?..."

Figured you were just gonna stay a ghost...she shrugged...Willow and Giles said there wasn't anything to do for ya...

Pretty much their usual answer...Angel thought coldly...

To me, to William, to that poor Amy...Our poor Fred...

"Then Henri came...To kill me at first, sure...But then...To bring joy back to my life..." she beamed at him...He smiling back...

"Since when did you suddenly decide to turn to the Light, d'Vestigy?..." William coldly turned to him... "Last I heard your favorite past-time was eating young children..."

"For centuries, young Walthrop...Mon coeur has been...How do you say?...Troubled..." Henri began, eagerly taking the opening... "When I met dear Buffy, I was at a cross (heh-ha...he chuckled at his bon mot)-roads...Her compassion and self-sacrifice won me back to the Light as it did you..."

As for the rest, what can I say?...Right time, right place...he grinned...

Grrr...Will moved on the perfumed little French sack of...

"William..." Buffy took defensive posture... "Enough...I appreciate all you did for me...I hope you're grateful for what I did for you..."

Beat me senseless when I tried to help you without a soul...Left me to die with a soul...Well, you did save me that other time...And it is true about what we agreed...

"Great..." he sighed... "Congrats and all that...Angel?...Lets be on our merry..."

"Can't you stay to dinner?..." she asked... "Wait a minute..." she moved to him as he headed to the door...

"What?...And disturb you and 'Henri' in your billing and cooing?...Wouldn't think of it, lass...Lets call it a day as you suggested, shall we?..."

But...she paused...A pleading look...

Yeah?...

"There's some trouble brewing I wanted to talk to you and Angel about...You two really did come at just the right time..."

Trouble, huh?...He frowned at her...She nodded...Biting a lip...

"Why don't you and your new beau deal with that?...Angel and I have a demonic law firm to reform..."

"C'mon Will...For ole times sake..." she smiled...Then turned serious... "And to save the world..."

Oh, please...he sighed...

"Buffy...If there's one thing I've become convinced of over the past few with you...It's that the world is never going to end until God or Whoever runs things decides its time...Til then...Some idiot will come along and sacrifice him- or herself every time...Don't fret about it..."

C'mon Angel...He called...

"Aw...Wait...Henri..." she turned to him... "Would you give us five?...Alone...?"

But, of course...He rose...

Angel?...she turned to him...

Why not?...he shrugged...Following Henri to his door...

"So tell me, d'Vestigy...How did you get away from the Master and his boys?...That last time I saw you in Austria?..."

Wasn't easy...Henri grinned as they left...

"Will..." Buffy eyed him... "Now, you know I love..."

"Don't..." he put up a hand... "Leave it be, girl...Let me keep that one intact and go on pretending it meant something..."

Hey...she glared... "It did mean something..."

At the time...

Christ...He groaned...

"It...Does mean something..." she eyed him again...

He blinked as she came to him...Kissed him, hard...On the lips, embracing him...

God...William...I missed you...she breathed...

"Buffy..."

"I love you, Will..." she pulled him close, then down...

Ten minutes later...

Henri and Angel apparently happily engaged in the other room telling old 'war' stories...

Buffy, back on her feet, eyed Will with a Mona Lisa smile...She'd been to the Louvre just the previous month...He rose now...Adjusting...Things...

"Does this...?...Are you saying?..." he stared at her...What?...She stared...

"Oh...No, I'm still marrying Henri...He's nice and I need the security..."

For Dawn and all...she explained...

"But...No reason we can't see each other once in a while..." she smiled...Unless...

Say...Will?...

"Just how well are you and Angel doing at W-H?..."

"Angel!..." he called...Angel came out, Henri following...

Time to go...He eyed Buffy coldly...She a bit nonplused...

Gee...Spike would've seen the practical benefits of such an arrangement...Her look saying...

"Fine, then...Go..." she fumed... "I'm the Greatest Slayer of all Time and I certainly damned well don't need your help...Go on back to LA..."

"Well..." Henri dodged the obviously unpleasantly developing scene...So unFrench... "I shall leave you to say goodbye to your friends, my darling...Please meet me downstairs to greet our dinner guests in ten minutes, would you?..."

Sure...she nodded...

By the apartment elevator...

"So I guess this is good-bye..." she put out a hand... "Geesh...I don't see why you gotta act this way, William?..." Buffy stared at him...

Really?...he nodded coolly...Then I guess that about says it all...

Damn Italian elevators...she glared at the indicator light...They've been screwing up like this since we got here...Ah...The light flashed repeatedly...The doors whooshing open as she turned back to her ex-s...

"Now look guys...I expect you'll try to be a little more big about this..." she paused...

Wait, stop, come back...William muttered incoherently... "Buffy...?" Angel pleasantly called... "You really should..."

"What?..." she frowned... "Look, guys...Move on...I did...And now I have my own life to..." she stepped into the elevator...

Ahhhhahhhh!...A scream, fading rapidly as if someone had just fallen down a non-functional elevator shaft...

Hmmn...Angel looked at the open, empty shaft where Buffy had just plunged...Presumably in the absence of her life-saving gang...To her third death...

William looking as well...Perhaps with less shock than might have been expected...Though to his credit he had made a reasonably quick attempt at a last grab...A tad too slow perhaps...

But as with Buffy's love declaration...It's the thought that counts...Which Angel noted as he pulled a tottering Will back...

In any case a bit more determined an effort than Angel's faint sweep...

Though in fairness, Angel had been far away...Perhaps spiritually as well as physically...

The boys stood looking down... "Buffy?..." Angel called, punching the Italian version of 911 on his cell phone...

"There has been a tragic accident..." he informed the operator in Italian...

"I suppose..." Will sighed... "I should have stopped her..." Nah...Angel shook his head... "You heard her, she'd moved on...Didn't need us anymore..."

"Always a straight-ahead, forward-looking girl, that Buffy..." he noted...Pity she never learned to read Italian in high school...He indicated a sign on the elevator...

Say?...Will eyed him... "You speak and read Italian...Why didn't you say something?..."

She seemed to know the elevators were out-of-order...Angel shrugged... "I just assumed she knew the elevator had been returned to the shaft..."

A cold rush of wind...Buffy's glowing...And glowering...Spirit...Faced them...

Jerks...she frowned...What was the big idea?...

"Do you feel something, Will?...As if a powerful, angry spirit were opposed to us?..."

"Now that you mention it..."

You two bastards let me fall?...William, how could you?...she fumed...

"Could it be Buffy?...So soon?..." Will asked Angel...Hmmn...

C'mon you clowns, you can hear me...I know you can...she glared...This was really childish, guys...

"Judging by the cold and wind...I'd say it was a very angry spirit...I can't see that Buffy would have call to be angry...With us..." Angel noted...

Especially after you tried to catch her...he patted William...

He did?...Oh, Will...she beamed a mo...Then back to rage...Well, ya coulda tried harder...Geesh...

"Anyway our Buf would surely have gone on to Heaven...It can't be her...Unless..." Angel paused...

Maybe she shot her bolt on the last death...

"Or..." he pondered... "Maybe there was some unresolved guilt...Something to be expunged..."

Guilt?...What guilt?...Buffy's ghost stared...She looked for the white light...Ok, Heaven, ope those pearlys...

Nothing...

Hey!...Lemme back in, you sobs...I'm the world-saving Slayer!...

"Like maybe her telling you she loved you...and running off with ole Henri left a lil' nagging bit..."

What?...she stared...Ridiculous...

"Well, whatever it is...We oughta be on our way..." Will noted... "I'll drop a line to Willow to go check it out sometime..."

Hey!...Goddamnit!...I know you can hear me!...she screamed...You jerks can't just leave me here...

They headed to the stairs and went down, Buffy's spirit dogging them to the front lobby door...

William!...Don't leave me!...she cried...

"I think I still feel it..." Angel noted...That cold chill...

"Like Buffy saying "It's over, William..." Will noted...

Jesus!...When I reach Willow by seance!...You two are gonna fry!...Fry!...

"It could be the First...We should warn Willow the First might be trying to take Buf's form again and persuade her to do mayhem..." William pondered... "I concur..." Angel nodded...

"Well..." he eyed the door... "If it is a spirit...It shouldn't be able to move past the door here...Lets head on and see if it follows..."

Aw, shit...Ow!...Damn barrier...She fumed...William!...Don't leave me!...

"Gentlemen..." Henri called them back into the lobby... "Have you seen my fiancee?..."

"Ah...Henri, ole man..." Angel patted him sympathetically... "I'm afraid I have some bad news..."

Several TV news trucks pulled up, reporters emerging seeking news of the recent tragic accident...

Henri, help!...Hey!...she called to him as he stood, listening to Angel...

Don't you hear me?...You overdressed, prissy little French...!...

Will!...Please!...she turned to him...Ummn...He wavered...

Buffy...

"Well, Will..." Angel had returned...The grieving Henri returning to his chambers...

"We'd best be..."

"I'll stay Angel..." Will sighed... "Call Willow and tell her what's happened..."

"You best get to LA...See if you can get Lindsey to talk about what he used with me..."

Oh, Will...A beaming Buffy spirit...

"You sure?..." Angel eyed him...

Of course he's sure, you bloody stupid jackass...she hissed...Get moving!...

Yeah..Will smiled sheepishly...

"I am..." His face hardening slightly... "And she better damned well be..."

Well, yeah...her spirit nodded vigorously...

After a promise to return asap with the necessary info, Angel strolled round the corner...Henri waiting for him in a dark doorway... "Angel?..."

Henri?..."

"Is everything?..." Sure...Angel nodded...Will's got her in hand...

Phew...Henri mopped his brow... "I was beginning to think you two would never appear...And that I might actually have to go through with this wedding..."

She being the Greatest Slayer, after all...

"It's bad enough having to suffer the torment of recovering my soul and experiencing the guilt of my crimes...To have had to marry that girl..." he shook his head...

Small prices to pay for getting your estates back...Angel noted...And the Council would never have helped a soulless beast like the Immortal...

"Buffy's human-souled fiancee on the other hand..."

Hmmn...Well...It will be nice to have the ole chateau and vineyards back...Henri nodded...Then eyed Angel...

"You aren't really going to leave the poor child like that?..."

"Willow will probably come up with something...And it was an accident...Not our original plan at all..."

I just planned to have you catch him and her at it...

No...Henri shook his head...Not her...

"I mean the boy...You can't leave him like that, with her..."

"He's happy...William's always been a romantic glutton for punishment..."

Poor fool...Henri sighed...

"Well, you know...She's not fundamentally a bad kid...Just not really grown-up yet...See..." Angel smiled a bit...

"She's cookie dough..." Henri waved a hand hastily...

"Yes, yes...Mon Dieu, I have heard that putrid speech from her a thousand times in the past month..." he sighed...

They looked back at the hotel, careful to maintain concealment from prying eyes...William barely visible by the lobby door...Talking rather animatedly to what appeared to be thin air...

Well, the boy does seem content...Henri noted...

"In any case, mon bon ami...Many thanks for your help..." he nodded to Angel...

"Wolfram-Hart, Inc is always ready to go the distance for a client, Henri...Especially when it involves his or her restoration to the Light..."

Angel gave a solemn look... "And making a relative...Of sorts..." he looked over to William... "More or less happy..."

Just remember we get ten percent of whatever your final vast inheritance turns out to be...he eyed his client firmly...

"But of course..." Henri sighed...

Damn bastard didn't even stop to check if my spirit stayed behind...incorporeal Buffy fumed to William...

"Well, Buf...You know only a French vampire would choose to call himself "THE Immortal"..." William noted...

Shhh...People are staring, honey...Incorporeal, remember?...she eyed him...Why don't we take this inside?...You can take a room and tell Dawn when she gets back that you felt ya oughta stay...

Which I know you would, Will...she beamed...Trying to take an arm...Hmmn...

Ok if I?...She put an arm through his...Literally...

Sure...He did his best to approximate a pat as they headed for the lobby desk...

Anyway...So tell me...Without attracting too much attention...How you guys are making out running LA's number one law firm?...

"Immortal Beloved...IV..."

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Obviously, I'm havin' fun with this...

Rome...Buffy and Dawn's apartment...

Hmmn...A Dawn now recovered from the initial shock of seeing William in the undead flesh again, nodded as Angel continued his explanation for their sudden appearance on her doorstep...

"I was hopin' this was the real thing...Buf and this one...But it did seem kinda sudden, head-over-heels...Love-spellish...Yeah...You're right, guys..." she sighed...

"Better go after her before things get serious...I'll see if I can get Giles to contact Willow..."

Here...She handed them the address and phone number of the local hot spot Buf's latest was supposedly taking her to...

Go, fellas...She waved...Save my sis...Kill, kill, kill...Or dust trying...

"Oh, William?..." she called...

"You will have the decency not to show yourself to sis?...It really bothered her when you fried...I'd prefer not to see her go through all that again..."

Yeah, yeah...Sure...

Immortal Beloved V..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Obviously, I'm havin' fun with this...

Non dimenticar...

Play

Non dimenticar means don`t forget you are my darling

Don`t forget to be

All you mean to me

Non dimenticar my love is like a star, my darling

Shining bright and clear

Just because you`re here

Please do not forget that our lips have met

And I`ve held you tight, dear

Was it dreams ago my heart felt this glow?

Or only just tonight, dear?

Non dimenticar although you travel far, my darling

It`s my heart you own, so I`ll wait alone

Non dimenticar

Se ci separ, se ci allontan

L`ala del destino

Non ne ho colpa, no, e mi sentiro sempre a te vicino

Non dimenticar although you travel far, my darling

It`s my heart you own, so I`ll wait alone

Non dimenticar

Rome...A fashionable hot spot, Eurorock blaring...Early morning...

"Ok, nix one love spell..." Angel nodded to William... "How's she doin'?..."

Just went from adoring beam to full Buf glare...William noted... "Lets move...No, wait..."

She got him...he smiled...

"That's my girl..."

A frown from Angel... "Ok, our girl, poof...Anyway, 'mission accomplished'...And His Benevolence, The Immortal is ready for burial at sea..." Will eyed a confused waiter, now trying to sweep up the sudden mess in the midst of dancers...

"Lets go after her..." Angel looked after the clearly pissed, fast-moving Buffy...

What?...He looked at a hesitating William...

Ummn... "You go, Angel...I'll wait..."

"She'd be glad to see you, Will...Much as I hate to admit it, probably happier to see you than me..."

Sure, sure...But some other time...

"What the hell's wrong with you?..." Angel stared...William sighed...

"Angel...We finished on an 'I love you'...From her...I waited a long time to hear that, even if she didn't really mean it...And kind thought to a dying soldier or no, I can't quite give it up..."

I go say hi...She's pleased to see me...We talk...And within an hour, she's explaining that she'll always care for me...In a way...

Hell, I settled for that...Angel thought, frowning...Still...I can see the point...

"Let me hang on to one lil' romantic fantasy...That Buffy loved me for a moment..." Will smiled sadly...

Well...Angel sighed... "If that's how you feel...Lets head home..."

Dawn and Buffy's apartment...

Angel's reassuring call having brought an end to her anxious wait, a relieved Dawn picked up a buzzing cell phone...

"Buffy?...How'd your date...?"

Oh...

"Well, sis...He did seem a lil' too good to be true..."

No...Ummn...Nothing special goin' on here...Dawn lied...Rather equally relieved if slightly miffed that William had chosen not to return and present himself...

Ummn...What?...

"Buffy, I thought we agreed...No, I didn't throw it out...But...C'mon Buf, it's way past time you...Ok, ok..."

Buffy?...

"Sis, don't cry...Of course he understands...William knows...Wherever he is...That you love him...This was just a spell..." A spell I wish to God had worked...If the damned bastard hadn't been a vamp...Dawn sighed to herself...

"Yeah, yeah...Ok, ok...I'll put it in the wash...You can have it back when you get home...Buf...Try and have a good time for the rest of the evening, ok?...Oh, Buf...C'mon...He'd want you to..."

Stop crying, sis... She hesitated...Pondering...

Well, what the hell...

"All right, listen Buf...Stop crying and come home, cause I got something to tell you...Somethin' important...Yes, it'll be in the wash when you get here..." she closed the phone...

Then sighed and went to the laundry hamper, pulling out a black bra which she threw in the wash...

God, Xander's just as bad with that black underwear...she thought...But at least sis washes her mourning clothes...

Immortal Beloved VI..."

A shortie

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Oh, I be havin' fun with this...

Rome...Buffy's and Dawn's apartment bedroom...

Angel and William faced the object of their pursuit...The one they'd crossed the Atlantic to rescue their dear Buffy from...The One and Only...The Immortal...

The original Count Dracula...

What, you thought that Europunk grandnephew was the real McCoy?...C'mon...

Old Dracula, iron-gray haired, his past leadership of thousands clear in his every step, his harsh face forged in ten thousand battles, faced them...With a surprisingly benign expression which Will assumed stemmed from ...Hopefully...Overconfidence...

Fortunately, or so he hoped, Buffy was nowhere to be seen in the room...Although he sensed her presence near...

"All right, Angel...Lets rock..." he called...Trying to show no fear...I mean the Original Old One...

"Wait Will..." Angel hastily called...As William took a fighting stance...

Hmmn...He stared as Angel stepped between him and Old Dracula...Who gave a wry smile...

"You haven't explained things to him yet, eh Angelus...?"

"Wait a mo..." William blinked...

"You...You have a soul..."

"Indeed, my boy...For about a century now...It was the only way your old friend the Master...With the help of my treacherous grand-nephew...Could drive me from my position as King of the Underworld...Not being able to physically defeat me..."

Little did they...Or I, at the time...Dream what a blessing they'd bestowed on me...he beamed...

"I now act as an advisor to the Council of Watchers...Ms. Summers however made a special request for my assistance...Knowing you did not know my status...She felt my presence might possibly be the one thing to draw you here..."

"Buffy?...Wait...Angel?...You knew all along, didn't you?..." Will turned to Angel who shrugged...Yeah...

"And there's no danger to Buffy...From him anyway, right?..."

Yeah... "But William, listen..." The door to the adjourning room opened...Buffy...Followed by a group which included Dawn, Willow, Hank Summers (if Will remembered his photos correctly), Giles, Xander, Andrew, several new Slayers, and to his especial surprise-Wesley and Harmony...

Hi, Spike...Harmony waved...

"What the hell?..." he stared...

"So..." he eyed Buffy who'd come to him...Just looking at him quietly... "There really is no danger to you..."

"None except I might hurt my hand socking you, you son of a..." she burst into tears...Hugging him...

"Why the hell did you take so long?..." she sobbed... "What?...Did you think I was lying?...God!..." she pulled away...Glaring...

I really oughta whale you one...she fumed, then grabbed him again...William, William...Oh...God...

My love...she kissed him...

Buffy dragging a still-shocked Will from guest to guest...Dawn serving as hostess, clearly in her element...Sighing a bit as she watched Buffy with William...

Still, what the hell, a good fighter, human-souled, and a fine man...Who'd come to save them expecting nothing...

"Funny..." Harmony noted to Wes, indicating Buffy... "You know this is beginning to seem just like some kind of ..."

"Indeed...And it is..." Wes nodded...And about time a couple of us found a little happiness...He smiled at Angel who gave a grin back...Nice going, boss...

"Dad...Meet my fiancee, William..." Buffy pulled him over...Arm firmly round...

"Immortal Beloved..."...VII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Yet another quickie exploit of upcoming rumors before Joss does (he did, the sob) something stupid like pair Buf off with some jerk we've never heard of...And again, to be clear(er)...these are not meant as connected story chapters but retellings...Or off the wall brainstorms...

A bit longer this time...(Hey, the way I figure it after ten or eleven times I'm sure to get part of it right...)

Play theme...

Rome...The most fashionable hotspot of both the young and alive...And the immortal and undead...Near midnight...

William and Angel keep hidden as they watch Buffy on the dance floor with their latest nemesis... "The Immortal" (Blowhard, Buffoon, Asswipe...William keeps trying nouns to match as they watch)...Buffy seeming both oblivious to any danger from her charming partner and rather fascinated by him...

"A love spell...Some kind of spell...It's gotta be..." Will mutters...Angel eyeing his new junior associate partner kindly...

Sure...A love spell...He nods...William frowning at the note of sympathy...

"Well...Heck...We came because a spell was involved, right?..."

"It may have only been to raise our Jude Law clone over there..." Angel indicated the now smirking Immortal...Whispering something to Buffy and smiling as she laughed...William staring now as well...

Miserable asswiping sot...The boys agreed...Quietly...

"You mean to say you think she might actually like him?..." William fumed...

"Well...Tall, dark...Charming but with that air of reserve, even brooding...And if Andy was right about his little stunts in saving those Slayers and Dawn the other night...At least fake heroic..."

Sounds like my Buffy's type to me...he grinned...

"Especially the 'tall, dark...'..."

Shut up...Will glared... "But if we must go this route, my girl prefers guys who stick around...And fit her like a glove...If you get my meaning..."

Angel darkened a bit...Spike...You little...

"Hold that thought, boss...They're moving away..." Will raised a hand...Angel turning...

"We'd best move along...Carefully..." Angel nodding, they felt their way along the back wall, keeping an eye on the moving couple...

"Get ready...We can't let him get her out of here and alone..." Will hissed...

"I'm aware of that, William...Just keep yours up..."Angel frowned...

Say...He stared at what seemed a familiar face...

Do I know him?...Hmmn...He looked again as he and William slipped toward Buffy and her latest...

"William...?" the brown-hair girl seated with the young man Angel could not place looked up... "William Walthrop?..."

Will blinked at her...Helen?...One of our little Slayer army from the Sunnydale days?...Oops...

"Will?...What the heck are you doing here?..."

What are you doing alive?...

Parker, well-decked out in his latest Italian togs, seated next to Helen the Vampire Slayer frowned...Just when things were starting so well with this one...And, oh no...He looked at Angel and William...Who stared back briefly, then glanced to where Buffy had briefly halted...

Are they those two ole boyfriends of...God, please no...Buffy Summers?...

Angel tapped Will...She's off again...

"Hafta go, girl...Buf's in potential danger...Explanations later..." Will gave a quick nod...

Buffy?...Helen stared...

"But Will..." she tried...Too late...

"They're almost to the rear door...He's leading her out..." Will hissed...

"We've gotta get the lead out, poof..."

"We could be right by her now, moron...If you'd stop tryin' to hide from her..." Angel snapped back...

Ok, ok...Just lets hurry...William's voice was anxious...

"She's at the door...We've got to run for it..." Angel insisted, moving to force a way through...Will hesitating, but seeing no choice, followed, picking up speed...

The door closed as they reached it...Two burly ...Yep, vamps...Moved to block...One grabbed at William, throwing him to the side as Angel crashed through...

"You!..." the Immortal hissed at Angel, staggering before him...

"Angel...?" Buffy behind her evening's date, stared at him...Something a bit peeved in her expression, he noted...As the Immortal charged him and they went through the door and back into the club...

"Now, Angelus...You worthless lump of dust...I will finish..." the Immortal felt a hand jerk him back... "You, too?..." he stared at William as a fist smashed into his face...

Oh, not the face...Several worshipful minions of His Benevolence, male as well as female, sighed...

"Nice to see you again too, mate..." Will grinned...The Immortal struggling to his feet and falling back into the club where no doubt he could count on minion support...Angel and William in pursuit...

Buffy threw the rear door open and entered... "Angel?" she called...

"Wait!..." She blinked, seeing...

Parker?...she stared at him, then glared...Then moved off...Buffy?...Helen, next to him called...Too late...

"Parker?...Is that your name?..." Helen turned back to her new acquaintance...Who'd seemed...Courtesy of her Slayer's memories...A rather reassuringly familiar presence in a place so far from home...

Parker...She glared...Buffy's passed on memories bubbling up...

What?...He stared...

"I do something wrong?...And how did you know my name?..."

"UCal-Sunnydale..." Helen said, coldly...

"You were at UCal-Sunnydale...?" Parker tried a smile...

"UCal-Sunnydale...You said I...er Buffy...Was..."

Special...

Ummn?...Parker stared...Buffy?...

"Buffy...Who?..."

"Then you..." Helen got up...

"I...I what?...What are you talking about?..."

"I...er she...Dreamed about getting you back, you worm...I...er she dreamed you got transformed...And I...er she...Came after you..."

"Transwhat...?"

"Slowly I turned...er, she turned..."

"You mean, like those vamp things back in Sunnydale?..."

"Step by step...Inch by inch..." she moved on him...He backing into his chair in the corner into which he was boxed...

She put a hand to her pocketed stake...

Helen...?...Parker stared...

In the center of the club, Angel and Will closed in on the Big Bad...Who called on his support to no avail...Apparently off on break, pity...Will joked to him as the handsome leader's face distorted in rage...Worthless clods...Not worth the time I took to sire them...he noted...

Strange...He eyed the ring closing in around him and the other two vampires...

Those women all seem very...Unafraid...

Strong...

Angel cut short his ruminations by slamming into him...As he staggered, William caught him and whirled him back...

"Thanks for the dance, mate..." he grinned... "But I prefer to trip it with the ladies...Sorry to cut your performance short..." he tossed him onto Angel's stake...

And moved back toward the ring...Hmmn...Some of those girls look...He eyed them, trying to keep out of the view of the girl now parting her way and moving towards Angel...

"Angel!..." Buffy glared... "What the hell did you think you were doing?...We've been trying to scoop up this clown and his whole band in one shot for a month..."

Now most of the minions and the clues to the art and magic treasures he had hidden...Remain hidden...

"Thanks a lot..." she fumed... "Ladies...Stand down..." The ring of Slayers relaxed a bit...

"Geesh, Angel...What were you thinking...?"

I...Angel fumbled... "We...Thought you were in danger...Some kind of spell..."

Andrew said...

"Andrew?...Oh, for God's sake...Did Giles have Andy keepin' watch over me and Dawn?...Well, he got it dead wr..." she froze...

Oh...My...A hand to her mouth...

Shit...Will sighed...As the ring of Slayers pulled back to reveal his hiding place...

Oh, God...she gasped...And fainted...

Buffy?...Angel stared at the Slayer on the floor...Looking over to William...Who hurried over...

"Buffy?...Buffy..."

The ring of Slayers looked at each other...Then the two...

"Vamps!..." a voice from the rear called...The ring began closing, several pulling stakes, eyeing Angel and William carefully... "Get away from our Slayer Councilor General!..." one called...

Uh-oh...Angel nudged Will...Who remained patting Buffy's hand...As she began blinking...And looked up...Will?...

Yeah...he smiled...

"Will?..." the other Slayers eyed each other...Pondering as Buffy's memories surfaced...Oh...

William...They beamed as a group...

Oh!...They looked at each other as Buffy sat up...Still shaken...

"It's him!...It's William!..." several cried...

"Oh..." a collective sigh...Sounds of mass sobbing...William and Angel staring at the mass of weeping Slayers...Oh, William...Then at each other...Then at Buffy, now rising...

"Can it, ladies..." Buffy called... "He's taken..."

Slayers clustered round as Buffy quizzed William for details...He giving a quick review of the past year...

"Well...Buf..." William paused... "Sorry to spoil your fun, but you'll round the rest of the bunch up...I guess we should be going, unless Angel...You..."

"What?..." she grabbed at him... "William Soames Walthrop, you ain't going anywhere...Girls..." she waved...They again surrounded the two...Firm stares...Hands on stakes...

He blinked at her beaming face...Ummn...

"Say...How the hell did you get my name?..."

"Three weeks of searching the Council records left, then at Cambridge, and your hometown...For your memorial plaque..." she explained...

Her face fell a little at his look...What?...You didn't think I was gonna get you one?...Geesh...

"You don't let me know you're alive...You take forever to come to me..." she glared...

And as always it's to try and show me up, saving me...she frowned, then grinned...

"Anyway, you came..." she pulled him close... "Hey, Angel..." she waved...

Angel...The other Slayers surrounding them beamed...Then frowned a little...

"How come you didn't watch out for Dawn?..."one called... "Yeah...And what was that with having sex with Darla?..." one fumed...

Ummn...He looked at thirty advancing Slayers...Clearly bearing somewhat less than entirely happy recent Buffy memories of him...

"Ladies...It's ok...Water under the bridge..." Buffy waved them back..

"Remember the happy stuff..."

"Bartender...Garcon...Whatever they call you here..." she called to the server, a Italian version of Willie the Snitch...(His cousin in fact)...Now emerging from a hiding place... "Break out your best...Or whatever you got..."

Three hours later...

"Farewell...And adieu to ya, fair Spaniel (Spanish, Buf...Will corrected)...Ri'..." she nodded... "Laddies..."

"Farewell and adieu to ya, laddies of...Englan'..." she gave Will a drunken grin...Kissing him...

"Les dance some mor' Will..." she pulled him to the floor...Slayers scattered across the room, a few staggering across the dance floor with the few remaining, rather-anxious-but-afraid-to-leave regular patrons, human as well as demon...Most sleeping...Wherever they'd fallen...

Play Will and Buffy dance theme

Oh, Buf...he sighed...

"Hey, now..." he suddenly pulled back... "You ain' the First...Messin' wid' ma hed again?..."

No...She smiled at him...I'm noda Furst...

"An' this ain' a dream...?" he whispered in wonder...No...She patted him...Oh...

"Don' cry honey..." she hugged him... "I don' ever wan' see ya sad again...Over me leastways...From now on, you and me and all our guys are gonna be happy...For wha'ever time we get..."

Ri' Angel?...she called...

Ri'...he nodded, lifting his head from the table where he'd fallen several minutes before...

Ever' bod' hap...he agreed...Oh...he sighed...Looking down...

"Darl's waitin' for ya in Heav'n, Angel..." Buffy called, seeing his downcast face...She's Connar's mum and she's alri'...Soulwise...Sure..."

Yeah...Thanka...he waved...

Twelve hours later...

Buffy's apartment...Sounds of banging from the adjacent room as Buffy and Will wake...Both a bit under the weather...

They stared at each other a moment...Rather familiar, actually...

"I...Ummn...Buffy...I hate to say this..."

Hmmn?...Get me a towel, please...she groaned...Cold...Wet...

Oh, sure...

"Ummn...Buffy..." he passed the towel...

"Yeah?...What?..."

"I'm not absolutely sure...But I think we got married last night..."

Oh?...She looked at him...

"By...The Pope, I think..."

"A cardinal...The Pope wasn't feeling well..." she smiled...

"I wasn't that drunk, Will..." she grinned...Wiggling a fourth finger on which a piece of twisted metal gleamed...He eyed it...Isn't it great?...You made it for me last night, babe...she smiled and kissed him...

The banging from the adjacent room intensified...

"Hey!..." Dawn called... "You jerks...Lemme out of here!...You locked the door!..."

Damned right I did...Buffy chuckled...

Back at the hotspot...

Whew...Parker rose carefully...And painfully...

"Well...That was one hell of a party..." he noted to several of the awakening girls...

Who eyed him coldly...Clustering round him...

"Girls...I'm all in...Can we do this tonight, maybe?..." More of the Slayers moved in...

"UCal-Sunnydale..." Thirty Slayers intoned...

Ummn...Girls?...

Ladies...?

"Slowly we...er she...Turned..."

Immortal Beloved VIII..."

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Not mine, but thine O Joss!...And ME's...

Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Naturally the last one has to be tragic...

(Ok, so it wasn't the last one...)

Rome's most fashionable hotspot for both the quick and the dead...Midnight...

Angel, and a fervently-hugged-by-Buffy William stand over the remains of the Immortal...Destroyed by a lucky stake shot of Angel's just as he was about to use his spell hold over the Slayer to make her his own...

Which leaves the boys a chance to put the magic artifact they've brought to another use...

"It's a head?...Eehew..." Buffy stares, releasing her beloved...

"So...Now what?..." she eyes them... "I mean apart from you and me running off to the nearest chapel, Will..." she beamed...Then glared... "Took your time about it, you know..."

But God, all I care about is...You made it...she hugged him again...Buffy...he whispered in her hair...Oh, my Buffy...

A deep sigh...She pulled away and stared at him...What?...

"Now..." Will looked at Angel... "We have a chance to use this to save another person...But..."

"But what?...Who?..."

"Winifred Burkle...Our friend...Sorta a Willow Jr..." he smiled at her... "Oh...Right, geesh Angel I'm sorry Giles was so rude..." she looked at him... "I didn't know you'd called to ask for help...And you know how Giles feels about you..."

Sure...Angel nodded...No problem...

Especially if he or his Olivia ever needs a legal matter handled...I will personally take him or her for every goddamn penny...

"Well..." Buffy smiled, arm round Will again... "So that's great, lets get to it and save this Winifred..."

What?...Is there a problem...?

"Buffy..." Will sighed... "To save Fred...We have to alter the past..."

O...K...

"We have to prevent Angel from accepting the Wolfram-Hart deal..."

Good, good...Giles and the Council were worried about that...

"Hey, wait...Does that mean we meet again sooner?..." she stared at him...

Buffy...My love...Try to understand...

No...She stared at him...No, not now...Not you...

"When we alter time...My amulet won't wind up with Angel...God knows where it and I may end up..."

With Wolfram-Hart...she said, coldly..."With those bastards..."

"Who'll take great pleasure in destroying you..." she shook her head... "NO!...No, I won't allow it!...I won't lose you again!..." she grabbed for the head, shoving Angel back...

"Not a step Angel, or I destroy this...Eehew..." she looked at the head... "Thing...I mean it!..."

"No one is taking William away from me!...Not now...No..."

"Buffy..." Will eyed her... "Besides you, there was only one other person who ever tried to help me in my miserable existence since I died back in 1880..." "Winifred..."

"She believed in me and kept me sane and in hope...Just like you did...Until I was saved..."

I hafta return the favor, love...If I am the man you love...I have to...

"If only to prove..." "Shut up!..." she raged... "I don't wanna hear this...I...You...Belong together...To each other...Forever...I've known that since the day you died at Sunnydale...Oh, Will...You can't leave me...Not for her..."

I don't know her...she looked at Angel coldly... And I think I...And Will...Have saved enough strangers...

"I hafta to do this, Buffy..." Will took her hand...Gently taking the head in its bag from her as she struggled briefly, sobbing...Finally in his arms as he handed the head to Angel...

"If we really are meant to be together...We will find each other...My soul won't be destroyed, I will find a way back...Poor Fred has no other chance..."

You know I have to do this...he whispered in her hair, hugging her...

"All right..." she let go... "But I won't lose you...Never...If I have to kill myself and follow you, I will..."

"Buffy..." I know, she waved a hand...I know, Duty and the Powers that be won't allow it...We'll be separated...

"I was going to say... 'Thanks'..." he grinned...She chuckled through tears...William...

"I won't lose you..." she nodded firmly...Never again...

And to prove it...She glared at him...Before I let you do this...

"Marry me..."

Buffy...he stared...

"I can smash that thing before you two together can stop me...Consider this a shotgun wedding, Mr. Walthrop..."

Yeah...she smiled at his startled face...I looked up your name, William Soames...

"Well?..." she stared...Deal?...My love?...

"Deal...my love..." he smiled...

"C'mon, Angel...You're the witness/best man..." she called to him...

October, 2003...

Buffy's and Dawn's apartment in Rome...

"Anything in the mail?..." Buffy's voice in the hall...

"Letter from Angel...His team's trying to get new digs..." Dawn scanned the letter...

"Save it for me to send to the Council...Giles may be able to help them out..."

"Hey...?" Dawn looked at the box, at the bottom of the mail...

"What's up..." Buffy came slowly into the front hallway...Not quite up to her usual pep just yet...

"Any idea who might've sent this?..." Dawn waved the box...Then setting it down, hastily opened it...Buffy frowning...

"You ought to have waited and let me check it out a litt...My God..." The amulet fell out...

And a glow filled the room...

Play Will and Buffy theme

Search: The Web Angelfire

Immortal Beloved IX..."

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Not mine, but thine O Joss!...And ME's...

Summary: Yet another view of the upcoming Wednesday rendezvous...

Ok, so I'm trying one last one...

(Ok, again, it wasn't quite the last...)

London, Office of the Chairman of the New Watchers'/Slayers' Council...Tomorrow...Giles at his desk...Sighing as he listens to the various taped phone messages of what had happened the night before in Rome...

Dawn-

"Giles!...You're not gonna believe this!...Spike's alive!...He came with Angel to our apartment last night after Buffy left with that Jude Lawish new guy of hers...You know, d'Vest-whatever...The hot guy...Anyway..."

Somethin' about some Immortal guy...Oh, and they thought Buf's date was him...

"Just like sis to pick another vampire, huh?..." a sigh...So anyway...

"They knew cause Andy called 'em...Is he in town?...How come he doesn't come by?...Oh, and cause of some gross thing they brought with em...A head in a bag, I think...Disgusting..."

"So then I sent them out after Buf...Had the address and phone number of the place right by the phone..." a proud note...

"Don't know what we're gonna do now, Giles...Buffy called to say she was fine...They got what-his-name but she didn't come home...Though Angel stopped by and said everything was ok regards the jerk...William dusted him..."

Shame, really...she noted...He really was a cutie...Did I mention he was the spittin' image of Jude Law?...

"I mean...It's not that I don't think Spike did great last year...The soul and world-savin' and all...And he is kinda fun in a weird way to have round...But it'd be nice if Buf tried someone livin' again, you know?...Though he is a hero, now I guess...But...I dunno..."

Course...she noted...It is true that I kinda brought them together...When Spike and me used to pal around...And he confided in me...

"I really was the first to see his potential for good, you know..."

Whoa!...Wait, Giles...Hey...

"Maybe it was me all along...My bein' created that did it...You oughta have Willow look into that..."

Call you when I hear anything...Bye...

Andrew-

"Mr. Chairman, this is Provisional Councilor Wells reporting in...To report, forthwith... 'Mission Accomplished'...The Immortal is no longer such...He has been extremely prejudicially terminated by my chosen operatives..."

I should note that Mr. Angel performed well for the duration of this temporarily necessary alliance and I wish to recommend that we consider the possibility of reviewing the matter of establishing contacts with his group...Despite the sinister nature of his villainous Senior Partners...(see notes and reference on 'Senior Partners, Wolfram-Hart')...He seems to continue on the true path...

"However...There is an important matter which I must confess I had previously concealed from you and our August body, on my return from my successful mission to the City of Angel(s)...Concealed only as it had seemed to be a personal affair..."

William the Bloody lives...He has, like our own Buffy, transcended the grave...And emerged, like a Phoenix from the ashes of the pit of destruction in our beloved and lamented old Sunnydale...It was he in fact who was the primary instrument of success last night in our battle with the heralded and fiendishly handsome, Immortal...

"The scene was one fraught with peril...Though to one uninformed as to our activities against the Forces of Evil and their Dark World, it might have been a pleasant evening out, at Rome's trendiest nightclub...The glitteratzi bending and swaying to the pumping rhythm of Italy's finest rock musicians..."

But to one like me, who watched...As a Watcher does...From the shadowy corners...Menace hung heavy on the air...

"Our Buffy, Slayer extraordinaire, was clearly, as we feared, under the influence of magics, in the grip of the devastingly handsome yet rugged Immortal..." (Note for the Council...I recommend all Slayers be equipped with anti-magics protection, particularly focusing on love spells, and bestial transformations...)

"Lovely as ever, but drained of will, she swayed to the music, all but seduced by the fiend's power...Being slowly guided to her destruction by the strong and capable hands of the Immortal one..."

I naturally alerted my own Slayers to the danger...But as you had warned me, sir, used caution in exposing them to the Evil One's influence...Yet we prepared to make a gallant, self-sacrificing charge...

"Then, out of the darkness, like a knight of old...The strobe lights causing a halo to form about his blonde head...Yet bearing himself modestly, manly courage radiating from every pore...Emerged a champion...Our Champion...William...Crying out to the fiend to desist..."

Suitably attired in his trademark black and red...And seconded closely by his nearly equally gallant companion...Likewise quite suitably dressed in his own favorite black...

"Buffy's shock overpowering her a moment...The fiend, his dark heart trembling at the sight of such noble foes...Moved to make a desperate effort on the enthralled heroine...It looked hopeless as she was swept into his clutch...!"

But no!...Our heroes, ignoring the fiend's assorted minions, charged the foe...Knocking him back...

"And our heroine, the shock of seeing her beloved William, risen up to join her once more, broke out of the dastardly spell...And gave the monster a stout thwack!...Knocking him back..."

To where our William waited...And seizing the foul minion of Hell, destroyed him by throwing him on to a stake held by the Angelic One...

"With disaster averted...And Buffy engaged in a deep embrace of our noble William...I chose to remain...With my agents...In the shadows, Watching..."

At present they remain in the club...Still engaged in deep embrace...

"A written report shall follow forthwith...My Chairman..."

Xander-

"Giles...The shit has hit the fan...Dawn called me at nine last night to say that Angel and Spike had shown up at her place...I was already to head for the airport myself...Did you call Angel?...Tell me you didn't...Giles?...What were you thinking?...Or was it Andy?..Hell, Buffy could've handed this Immortal guy once Willow and me got there with a few anti-magics...C'mon..."

I guess he did take out the Immortal creep though...You know I didn't like that guy just from Buffy and Dawn's description...

"But look Giles...Dawn says Buffy never came home after they nailed the bastard...She's gotta be with Spike, cause Angel stopped by...What are we gonna do?...Geesh I thought we'd finally gotten that guy out of her hair at last for good and he climbs right back up out of..."

Well...I guess he did try hard for her...But Giles...

Willow-

"Giles...Just got off my astral plane...Dawn says Buffy's ok and William's back...That's so neat...I mean, if he's still got the soul and all..."

Does Angel still need some help with his friend?...Your old message didn't say when you called...

"I'll be in London by 11...I can head out to Rome if you think I should as soon as you can book me a plane...Unless it's a teleport crisis..."

And Buffy-

"Giles...I'm ok...I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for the way I acted the last few days...He was a baddie...It was a spell...He's dust..."

You know me and love spells...Just a sucker for em...I guess we really should listen to Andrew's recommendations about carrying protection...

"Giles...Something wonderful happened last night...I really need you to come to Rome...Bring Willow...Please come..."

He's alive, Giles...He's come back to me...Oh, God...

"I mean William...He lived through the Big One in that damned, blessed amulet...He's been with Angel all this time..."

Damn him...Yeah, you...(her voice fades)...Keepin' me in the dark all this time, not comin' to me...(sounds finally like William's voice in the background)...Giggling sounds a moment later...

"And as for you, Giles..." she returned to the phone... "I better not find out that Andrew'd told you...Cause you may lose one reasonably well-trained Slayer if it turns out you kept this from me..."

Anyway...I hope you wouldn't do that...

"It was like a scene out of a fairy tale, Giles..." (No, idiot...she moved from the phone, obvious addressing someone again...Not a Grimm Fairy Tale...At least not a grim Grimm...).. "He came in, with the strobe lights gleaming on his head...Like a knight in a story, back from the grave to save me...God, he was so beautiful..."

Sorry...she sighed... "I know, a little much...But oh God, Giles...He's back... 'Quick and in mine arms'...

"I have been reading that Shakespeare you gave me, see..." a chuckle...

Ummn...We're married...Which is why I want you all here...We're gonna have the party of all our lives and Unlives...

"Angel's got W-H covering it as Will's a new associate partner..."

Ya will not believe how much my new hubby makes, Giles...And he's going for his law degree, so it'll be legit...I'm so proud of him...

"Had to get him drunk first of course, but he finally went along...Haven't told Dawn yet..." Ummn...

Any chance you could speak to her?...Will wants to, but I'm afraid she'll stake him...

"Immortal Beloved X..."

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..."

Disclaimer: Not mine, but thine O Joss!...And ME's...

Summary: Ok, so I had to do one last one after the fact...

LA...Wolfram-Hart tower...CEO Angel's office...

The day after...

William and Angel still sitting in their chairs, contemplating "moving on"...

"I still..." William begins...

Yeah...Angel sighs, resigned...

"I mean...She didn't even call or send a card to welcome me back to the land of the more or less living...A 'Thanks for the great memories...' would've be nice..." Will looks down at the floor...Say...A happy thought dawns...

"Maybe she didn't know...Maybe Andrew never told her..."

"He said 'she loves us both, but'...Sounds like she knew to me..." Angel notes...

Yeah...Will sighs... "But I can't believe she wouldn't at least...I mean, I never expected anything..."

Hell, why'd she have to say 'I love you'?...he put his head in his hands... "I mean...I knew she didn't...Not really, but..."

She said 'I love you'?...To you?...Angel stared at him...Frowning...

"Just 'fore I fried...Sympathy I know...Still..."

I been living on it for months...he buried his head in his hands again...

Ummn...Will?...Angel looked at his sobbing...Whatever he was to him...

Ummn... "You know, maybe Andy didn't tell her...Heck, you're right...Buf would never not try to reach you if she knew..."

William raised his head...You think so?...A slight beam...

Absolutely...In fact...

"The Immortal's just a rebound...She's looking for you in him, no doubt about it..."

Bollocks...Will frowned... "God, this is the worst...You feelin' sorry for me..."

You really think?...he hesitated... "Oh, come on...Andrew couldn't keep a secret like that for five minutes...She knows..."

And could care less...

"Just wish she'd written...Called...Just to say hi...See if maybe I was sufferin' from post-res depression...Heck, I was there for her...Soullessly...Took care of lil' Nibs...Soullessly..."

Hmmn...Angel sat up..."You think the Immortal copied us and pulled up a soul?..."

"Probably had one all along...Kept it hidden just to show us up when the time was right..." Will paused... "I should've written her...Called myself, when I got my form back...Maybe she was hurt..."

Did think it was stupid of you not to...Angel noted...

"Hey!...Was tryin' to keep my sacrifice pure and all..."

"Well, it sure sounded idiotic to me..."

"Well, what about you, you poof?...How come you left her sis all alone, with homicidal maniac Spike as her caregiver?...And what did you say to her when she went to see you that time, after...You know she came back pretty shaken up, ole Red told me..."

Mmmn...Angel shrugged... "I'd moved on..." William blinked...

"You said that to her?...She'd just resurrected and you said to her?...You..."

Not in so many words...Angel looked away...

"I said... 'We've taken different paths...'..."

"And you didn't even offer her some cash to get back on her feet?...What a piece of work you were..."

Hey...Angel frowned... "She shoved me into Hell and never bothered to even try and get me out...Never did a thing to get Willow to help lift my curse with the soul intact..."

"You were angry at her?...All this time?..."

No, certainly not...Well...Maybe just a bit...Resentful...

"She did jump into bed with that Riley pretty quick, after all..."

And frankly, I can't stand that whining brat sister of hers...

"You jackass!...This is all your fault!..." Will glared... "She's moved on 'cause you did, you bloody stupid pointy-haired poor imitation of Christ!..."

Eh...Angel shrugged again...Maybe you're right...

"All right, then..." Will moved to the desk and pressed a button...Yes?...Harmony's voice floated over the intercom...

"Harmony, take a letter...No, wait...Better yet...Put me through to Buffy's place in Rome...Now..."

Angel came over...Taking a seat on the edge of his desk...

Ummn...Will put a hand over the phone...

"Angel?...What do I say?..."

"You're asking me?...Just tell her you're alive and see what she says...Ummn..." he paused...

Yeah?...What?...

Ummn... "Maybe you should wait..."

Wait?...I've already bloody damned waited too long...

"I mean...Telling Buf you're alive is kinda our...er your...Last bolt in the crossbow, if you know what I mean..."

So...

"So...Assuming she doesn't know...Maybe we...er you...Should wait and see if the Immortal screws it up...Andy did say he had his flaws..."

Hmmn...

"Then you appear out of the ashes...And..."

Has its appeal...Will thought...

"Maybe...Say, maybe ole Immortal guy doesn't have a soul...Maybe he is pure evil...You know, he used to be very interested in acquiring sources of power and energy...Maybe he's stringing Buffy along to get his hands on Dawn and her key power...Ole Red always said she was loaded with juice..."

Maybe...Angel nodded...Or he might be out to transform Buf...

Using my patented Angelic phony redemption-seeking style...he fumed inwardly...

"And if we wait a bit...Let him show himself up..."

Maybe...

"Maybe Buf'll even call us...Or you, at least...Lookin' for help to get poor Nibs back from her vile ex-...Yeah...Ok...We wait..."

Harmony...William turned to the phone... "Cancel that..."

"Hello?..." Buffy's voice came over the speaker...

"William?...Is that you?..."

"Immortal Beloved XI..."

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..."

Disclaimer: Not mine, but thine O Joss!...And ME's...

Summary: Ok, one last one...

(Ok, not the last one...But almost)

Play theme

LA...Next August, following the near-apocalypse...The new offices of investigative 'lawyers' (pending mutual law degrees) Liam Angel and William Soames Walthrop...

Everyone else being dead...Including a treacherous vamp Harmony...Who, as William frequently, kindly notes, couldn't help being true to what she was in the end...Her soul at least at peace...

The one phone rings...Angel presses the speaker...

Buffy's voice... "Hey guys..." Brightly...

"William?...Sorry I didn't get in touch sooner to see how you were doing..." William looks at Angel...

And really sorry I never returned your calls last May, Angel...I was really busy...Suppose you heard bout my new boyfriend...The creep...A grim tone...

"Hope that thing with the apocalypse went ok...Sorry about Wesley and all...I promise I'm there next time..."

Anyway...I guess you guys heard the Immortal went sour on me...

"He was just after Dawn all the time...Her Key energy, ya know?...Guess I shoulda been more careful..."

Will eyed Angel...A tight smile...Hah...

"Anyway he's got her...And a lot of my Slayers are under his thrall now..."

He hates magic but he's big on thrall, ya know...

"Guys...I really could use some help on th..." Angel cut off the speaker and took the phone...

"Buffy...Nice to hear from you...Yes, William's doing fine...Still souled and everything..."

"Yeah...Well, we're a little busy these days...I suggest you bake some cookies and have Willow turn them into Slayer's soldiers...Good luck..." He hung up...

Ok...He eyed Will... "So lets review the Correlli case..."

Hmmn...William tapped fingers...Yeah...Ummn...

"What?..." Angel stared at him...

You're not thinking of...?

"Well..." Will shrugged... "If she needs help...And I liked the Nibs...Even if she did kinda dump me that last year..."

And it would be a chance to help her kick the Immortal's butt...

Hmmn...Angel nodded thoughtfully...Well, if you put it that way...

"But we are on company time on this one..." "Angel?..." "Ok, ok, just our support and research guys...Hell, we're running a business here, Will...Besides she can write it off to her Council, they're still loaded from what I hear..."

"Immortal Beloved XIII..."

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Not mine, but thine O Joss!...And ME's...

Summary: Yet another view of the (aftermath) of the May 5th Rome rendezvous...

(Yes, I know what I promised with #12 being the last, but the Missus wants a 13th based on her idea and she gets what she wants...)

LA...The Wolfram-Hart tower...CEO Angel's office...

An incredulous and rather pissed Buffy stands in front of the desk behind which a stern-faced Angel looks up at her...

"Whatadaya mean...You don't want me seeing William?...After I came all the way from..."

"I said...I don't think you should see him..."

Oh...I get it...She frowned... "Angel, you've gotta get over..." He waved...

"I'm past that, Buffy...I have a girlfriend...We're very...Well, within safe limits...Happy..."

This isn't jealousy...He eyed her firmly...

"Oh, really..." she crossed arms, glaring... "Angel, this is just so child..." Girlfriend?...she thought as he cut her off...

"How's the Immortal?..." She reddened...

"Fine...We called it a day...After Andy broke down and told me about William and you coming to Rome..."

Uh huh... "A little bird told me...The Immortal turned out to be a rather naughty boy...Tried to kidnap Dawn and use her energy to conquer the world..."

"To make himself human..." she corrected... "Not all that evil a goal, really...But naturally I couldn't let him have Dawn...Say, what 'little bird'?...Are you still having me followed?...Who's following me?...Better say 'cause otherwise he or she might wind up with a permanent case of death..."

"A little bird...One of our demon agents, actually...Loves to play pigeons when on surveillance...No one notices him, plus every now and then he gets to to get away with, you know...Target practice...For the sake of realism..."

She stared...Whatever...She waved a hand... "Now about William...Where is he?..."

On assignment...An important mission...Angel solemnly noted...

"And just when did you send him 'on assignment' and what's the 'important mission'..."

Last week...He's undercover...I can't reveal...

"Damnit Angel!..." she banged his desk...Which split in two... "I called to say I was coming last week...You deliberately sent him away!..."

"Someone had to look out for him..." Angel replied coldly... "God knows you sure didn't care...God, Buffy...The man cared for Dawn and carried you through your post-resurrection depression without even a cursed soul...Was there to patch your hands when you clawed your way out of your grave..."

All before he got a soul...

"Yeah...And God knows you weren't there...And you forgot to mention..."

Gave me fantastic sex...she smiled...On a regular basis...He frowned...

"And when he got to Rome...Coming to help you again...What do we...er does he...Find?..."

She gave a slightly sheepish look...

Well?...He frowned...

"I didn't know you guys were coming..." she dodged, looking at the floor... "If I had..." She suddenly blinked at him...

"What the hell are you doing?...You're acting like..."

"Well, I am his only human-souled relative of sorts...His grandsire..."

What?...she blinked... "Are you telling me...As his 'grandsire'..."

"I don't say you're not worthy of him, Buffy..." Angel leaned back in his chair...She stared at him in shock... "But Will has been through a lot lately...And he's at a critical time in the development of a human-souled vampire..."

"I just don't think this is the time to complicate his life..."

But...I...

He looked at her coolly...

"Angel...I love him...You gotta tell me where he is..."

"It has taken you some time to get here, Buf...And I know from Andy that you knew he was alive..."

And you never had Willow even try a seance when you thought he was dead...

"Mystically dead, I might add...And therefore, not all that hard to resurrect..."

I...Willow said it was too dangerous...And he didn't call me after he came back...Buffy tried...Not a call or a letter...

"He was trapped as a ghost for a good part of the year...And he thought you might have moved on...Didn't want to spoil what you told him..."

Told him?...

"In the cavern..."

Oh, yeah...she brightened... "And I meant it...I'm here now...Thought it all through and here I am..."

I love him...Oh, please Angel...

"You love him...Buffy...I don't wanna hurt you but you do bandy that word about a lot..."

Hey!...

"Are you offering him something he can build on?...A future?..."

Ummn...She blinked...

"Yeah, sure...I love him..."

"Do you want to marry him?...He's the sort who craves affection, you know...He needs stability in his life..."

Ummn...Marry?...Well...Ummn...

"Well..." he eyed her... "I'm not saying I'm going to tell you where he is...But...Why don't you have a seat?..."

She sat...Suddenly feeling nervous as he stared at her...An appraising look in his eyes...

"Well, Buffy...You want to marry my grandson of sorts...So...Tell me..."

Just what are you doing to earn a living these days?

"Immortal Beloved XIV..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, another one...Can't resist it...

LA...Hallway outside Angel's office at the Wolfram-Hart tower...

The day after the Rome debacle...

"Spike!..." Harmony calls to him as he passes... "There's an express mail letter for you...From Ro..." he grabs it from her...

Angel nonchalantly rushing over, casually knocking three staffers into the wall as he hurries past...

"Is it...From?..."

Yeah...William nods, engaged in reading a letter...A smile breaking out...

"Well?...Spike?..." Angel moves to read...

Hey...Will grabs the letter and steps back... "Some things are personal, you know..."

Grr...Angel frowns a moment, briefly assuming killer pose...Then sighs...

Well...It is personal...

"Well...Does she say anything about The Immortal?...What's up with him?..."

Another smile...Will turns the envelope upside down and a pile of dust spills out...

Our Girl...the boys beam...

"Immortal Beloved...XV..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to "Girl In Question"...Flee at once!...

Summary: My various versions of the Rome rendezvous and its aftermath...Each is a different retelling, not part of a sequential story...

LA...Wolfram-Hart tower...Several days after the boys' return from their Roman holiday of pain...Spike sitting at a desk in a newly-bestowed office (naturally the Brooding One felt he had to do something to pick up the poor guy's spirits...hey, he's been there, Buffywise...), "William S. Walthrop, Junior Associate..." emblazoned on the door...

With absolutely nothing to do regarding the daily business of the firm allowed him, doodling on a pad...Various snatches of poetry featuring Buffy as principal character... "Oh, Buffy's scent...So effulgent..." one begins...

Angel enters through the open door... "Spike..." he pauses...

"Harmony gave me this from the office mail...Just came in..." Will glances up at his new chief... "Well, the fans are writing in already..."

It's from Rome...Angel pauses...Spike leaps from his chair grabbing the letter, tearing it open... "Is it from...?" Angel shrugs...

Didn't get a chance to steam it open, Harmony insisted I bring it to you...he glared over at a carefully watching Illyria in the hall...( "Has the pointy-haired one followed proper procedure...?" she turned to Harmony who nodded...)...She got Illyria to follow me, saying it was a violation of our most sacred gods' laws to open mail not addressed to one...

Will looks at the letter...

"Dear Spike...Or William...Whatever we should call you now,

I'm in Rome for a few days, Giles having asked me to look in on Buffy...She's been going gaga over this new vamp, the 'Immortal' he calls himself...(Aren't all you guys immortal?)...Do you or Angel know him?...

Anyway...I heard from Andy that you and Angel came to Rome to see how Buffy was...That was decent of you...So I figured it was time someone should drop you a line and see how you're doing, given the soul and world-saving champion and all...

Buffy would've written I'm sure...But she's been busy with the new Slayers and now this Immortal (creep...Spike if you don't know him, see if Angel can have him checked head to toe...I do not like this guy...)...Well, you know Buffy...

Look, William I'm not gonna start saying I've forgotten Spike and what he did...But...You did help Buf out when she needed it, when we couldn't, even without the soul and you did win a soul on your own...Plus you saved the world, which maybe cancels out a few of Spike's badder days...In any case...I did feel, after the other night, that maybe somebody over here in the old gang oughta write..."

Lovely...Spike frowned...

"...Believe me, I would've preferred it should be Buffy too...Or that Dawn or maybe Willow ...But I guess they feel a little skittish, at least Willow and Dawn, about encouraging you to contact Buffy...I just felt a little bad, hearing them tell Buf not to call...She was thinking about it, if that's any comfort...Maybe she will when she's really ready...I won't say I hope she'll get entangled with you again, but I do hope she'll be in touch..."

"As for me..." Like I'd be interested...Spike sneered... "Like you'd be interested, but it's my letter...Though I've grown fond of Africa and the people here, I'm getting a little tired of the Slayer-Watcher Council and their lack of interest in the well-being of their own ...The girls down here are willing enough as far as training and fighting goes, but it's clean water, decent housing, and medical services they and the rest of the population need...Vampires and demons count for very little against AIDS and malaria in this part of the world...So as I've come to feel my other skills as a builder and carpenter may actually be of more use than any pearls of Slayer wisdom I might be able to dredge up...I think I may be resigning shortly and signing on with one of the ngos doing work in the area..."

"If you ever get the chance, drop by our Nairobi center here...I mean it, we have about a dozen vamps hanging round, all claiming to want to find that demon god of yours and get their souls back at any price for the sake of their human loves...Well, eleven since that girl ate her human husband the other night..."

"I think you've started a trend..." Damn bleedin' copy-cats...Now it's been done, the damned thing's a piece of cake...William glared at the line...

"William, in closing...A word of advice...I love Buffy, I would die for her, I would be...Was...On a plane for her in a mo...But, to be honest...I keep my distance...She's just not a girl you can build a future on...At least not yet...Maybe someday..."

Always bloody someday...Spike fumed...

"Your...Aw, what the hell...Friend,

Alexander L. Harris..."

Will?...Angel stared at him...

"Are you...?" NO!...he shouted, wiping hastily... "I must have allergies...We should have this building's air checked..."

"It was Buffy, wasn't it?...What did she say?..." a note of concern...William stared at him...

Damn she didn't have to be so hard on the poor guy...After all he did for her...Soulless even...Angel thought...Regarding William with a sympathetic expression...

What does a guy hafta do?...Could my grand-whatever have behaved more nobly post-soul?...Hell, no...Geesh...These American girls...

"Immortal Beloved XVI..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, another one...Can't resist it...Aftermath of "Girl In Question..."

Play theme

Dear Buffy,

I'd guess it's safe to say that by now Andrew has told you of our little jaunt over to Rome the other day...I'm also assuming he must long ago have told you of my reappearance on the mortal stage...

Fraid my exit last year has been followed on the stage by a rather lame return...However, as I'm able to write this, I at least no longer a ghost...Which I was by the by for several weeks...Not a pleasant experience if you've never tried it...Fortunately, some one decided to use me for his purposes and deliberately corporealized me...I'd hoped rather it was Willow, but of course you'd had no idea...

By the way, that was Angel's fault, not letting you know...At least til I went solid again...Though in fairness, him not knowing what a sterling character I'd become...Or some who knew me way back when might say, resumed...Post soul, natch...

(Not post soul...A reading Dawn thought...Long pre-soul...)

...His suspicions could be rated, justified...

And since the grand solidification, he has been tolerably helpful...Poof as he is, he is the only humanish, at least as to soul, family I got left, besides you...That's not to say I hold you to what you said in the cavern...Just that to me, you always will be family...

Speaking of what you said in the cavern, though...I guess you're wondering why I haven't dropped a dime or a line previous...And believe me, given what brought me to Rome tonight, I sure as hell now wish I had...Girl, another vampire?...And you know the Immortal has no soul...But, ok...You gotta lead your life, as Andrew said...Anyway, as to why I didn't come...I said I wouldn't hold you to what you said that day...I said then...And I say now...I understand you didn't mean for it to mean you want that picket fence and to have Willow find a way to let us make a few tots...But you can't blame me for wanting it to have been true, at the time...For the moment...And for me to want to hold that moment forever...I can't face you, have a pleasant conversation, and hear you assure me you'll always care, but...Maybe someday when I've got on with my life, but not now...

This isn't to say I'm not available if things ever open up...I'd come in a second if you ever want me, you know that...Buffy...Oh...

Anyway...You were the one who gave me the kick, along with the help of the US boys in black, to go and recover that damned soul...Which I think is a keeper...Because of you, I may one day win the right to see my sainted mother's face again and hear her words of forgiveness for her weak son...

For that alone, I owe you a debt I can never repay...My friend, my love...The Slayer who saved me at last...

One last thing and I close...Tell Giles to go a little easier on the Brooding One...He's not gone the evil way, he's trying his best to make a difficult sit work...In case you don't know and if you don't it's because Willow's slipped up and missed a Wolfram-Hart spell, it was all for his son...Yes, he had a son by Darla, a human boy...Before you forgot, if you haven't recovered the memory, you were bloody pissed at him, I could tell, though you'd moved on...It was all for him, Connor...But Angel is not working for them, he's making them work for him...And if the deal goes south, I'll be there to help him deal with the senior partners...

I mean the poof's the only family I have left, as I said... Except for you...

Greeting to the little bit...And why the hell didn't she show me a little consideration last year...(And tell you what?...That I was glad you'd driven sis off...Because I...) Geesh, Nibs, if you see this...You do remember who it was who protected you the year previous?...Well...I know I let you down that time with Buffy...Hopefully, frying to a crisp to save you and yours put me back up a few notches in your book...

Hafta to go...The Brooding One needs comfort over the Immortal thing...Girl, you'd think he'd never left you alone in Sunnydale...

Love beyond the world,

William...

...Soames Walthrop, by the way...If you'd care to know...

(The sound of a key in the apartment door, which opened...Buffy turning to give His Benevolence a last peck on the cheek...

Dawn stared at them, note in her hand...A slightly cold look on her features...

"Dawn?...What's that?...Mail from Xander?..."

She paused a moment, considering...Eyeing her sis' face...

You told me you did love him...But when he came back, you never even called him...And you went on with His Blowhardyness, as Xander calls him...And if I put this in my pocket...In a couple of years when I can get to LA...

But he loves you...Still, I am you, in part...

Oh, Mom...Tell me what to do?...

"Dawn?...")

"Immortal Beloved XVII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, another one...Swear it's the last in the series...Can't resist it...Aftermath of "Girl In Question..."

(All right, I lied...)

LA...The universe of the IB where Buf had the big party when Will showed and married him...Twenty years later...

A frowning forty-something Buffy eyes her unconscious identical twin...Fresh from an alternate universe...

"Will..." she turns to her husband now entering the house from the front door...With a small copy of Buffy riding on top of his head...Mooma!...Lil' Buf screams...She quickly locks eyes with the hubs, indicating the unconscious woman...

Oh, Lord...Not another one...he sighs within...Hmmn...He nods to his wife, quickly rushing their little one to the playroom, explaining that the latest 'visiting Aunt Buffy' is just resting a bit after her long voyage to see them...

Hmmn...He thinks as he finishes settling Buffy Jr. with her older siblings-Will Jr, Philip (after Will Sr's brother, Amelia, (after his dear sister)) and heads back...Best to do Willow's quick dimensional scan on the Missus before sending this one back...One never knows when one of these ladies might catch her guard down...Hate to find I've sent my own wife off to another world...

"So...Another one?..." he eyes his beloved wife...Yeah, she nods...

"Nearly caught me going out the door...Then pretended she just wanted to meet me...Usual story...Some phony crisis in her world...But she just wanted to take my place...Bitch..."

Buf?...A little compassion...he chides her...Poor thing must have been desperately unhappy in her world to try this...

"So...Why didn't she take you when she had the chance?...I did...And she came to steal my happiness...Can I help it if some of my interdimensional sisters have shit for brains when it comes to romance?..."

Well...he eyes the unconscious Buf...A tad more worn about the eyes, maybe a hair heavier but nearly impossible...For anyone but him...To tell...

"Of course none of them has been as bad as that one who'd married Angel..." she noted... "God, what a frustrated psycho...I tell you, honey, we've got to get Willow to get our world blocked off..."

"Difficult, sweet...She told you...And we might need the help of some of your copies one day...Most of them are nice, after all..."

"Well the human-souled robot sis was nice...But say..." she paused... "You aren't really gonna go to Hell to help her find her William...She was an idiot to let him go like that, whether or not he wanted to confirm his soul's return..."

"Buf...A brother in distress...And he must love you...Her...Very much to do it..."

"Eh...God...He must have the soul to love like that...She ought to have known that and kept him safe at home..." Like I'm gonna do you, believe me darling...she did not say...

He shrugged...We'll see... "Anyway, we'd better get our guest to Willow and have her reopen the return portal..."

And dump the pathetic bitch back in her own bed...To lie in it...Buffy thought...Glaring at the twin who would have stolen her joy...

"Ok, then...But first...Sweet...If you wouldn't mind..."

What?...she blinked...As he raised Willow's scanning orb...Just hafta be certain...he sheepishly explained...

Aw, c'mon...she frowned... "Ya know it's me..."

Buffy...

"Oh, all right..."

for further adventures of the married Walthrops, try "Life With Mother and Father"

in the Cicelyverse...

"Immortal Beloved XIX..."

A shortie...

PG-13...This one's a nice finale...

(Oh, right I skipped over 18 in this string of IBs...the ummn...One I hang my head for...)

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, one more...Can't resist it...Aftermath of "Girl In Question..."

LA...Wolfram-Hart tower...Angel's office...May 2004...Two weeks after the boys' return from Rome...

Angel giving final instructions to the few still loyal as he and Spike prepare for the final battle with Wolfram-Hart's senior partners...Wesley dead, a vengeance-seeking Illyria has vowed to join the boys in their descent to Hell to prevent the partners' rising...

They await the opening of the Hell's portal in Fred's old lab...A lab door opens...Andrew...

"Gentlemen..." Their guest of the past four days...He having come at once, though alone...In response to their pleas for assistance...

"Don't worry, never fear...Buffy Summers will soon be here..." he intones his mantra of the past four days...

"Andrew!..." William glares... "You been sayin' that for the past four...We've now got ten..." Angel shakes his head...Points to a timer... "Six...Minutes...Left...If she's comin' where the bleedin' hell?..." The door opens...

Buffy. looking flustered but lovely in a bridal gown...A bouquet by her side...And the end of a rope harness in one hand...Guys...she catches a breath... Sorry...I took...

What?...she glares at them... "Did you think I wasn't coming?...God, you two jerks!..."

And hello, Mr. Walthrop...she frowns...Long time no tell me you're back, asshole!...she hits him...OW!...Hey!...

"Watch it!..." he backs off... "William...!" she grabs at him, pulling him close... "Why the hell didn't you call?...I didn't know what to think until Andy said you'd come to Rome...And even then you left without a word?...You sob!...I love you and you act...God!..." she pulls on the rope harness...

Illyria staring, nudges Angel... "This insane creature is the famed Drusilla?...Come to aid her former..." No, no...Angel shakes his head...The famed Buffy Summers...

Ah...

"So..." Will eyes the gown... "Sorry to pull you out of your nuppies and all..." What?...she stares...Looking down...Oh...

"How's the happy Immortal groom?..."

"Are you kidding?..." she fumes... "You think I was after that...God, William...Geesh...You think I'd fall for some phony aristocrat jackass...I am really..." He stares at her...

Ok, I was attracted...But it was just work...I had to get info from him...And he had to believe I was falling under his influence...

"Andy had orders to confirm that..."

"Which were carried out, mon Slayer Councilor General..." Andrew nods...

"Three minutes, people!..." Angel calls...

"So what's with the..." Will eyes her...She pulls on the harness...A bedraggled, elderly man is pulled into the room...Clerical garb badly torn... "Had to keep the padre here on a line...Having to move so fast to get here in time..." she noted... "Barely had time to get the dress on..." William blinking...

Ok...She pulls a ring from her pocket and tosses it to Angel...

"Shoot Father...And make it quick...Cuse, we be pressa for time..." She grabs William close...One minute, Angel notes...Just don't lose the ring...she nods to him...

"ummn..." the priest mumbled in Italian... "Dearly beloved..."

Say yes, damn you...she glares at Will... "Cause I went to a hell of a lot of trouble on this...And I will sock you unconscious and say it for you otherwise..."

"Immortal Beloved...XX..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, so no one asked and the Missus begged me not to...Some things just will out...And like my devil in "The Devil and Dr. Walthrop" I am reputed to play with the truth sometimes...However if I am lying about lying...

Wolfram-Hart tower...Screening auditorium...One week after the Rome rendezvous...

A video is projected on wide-screen...

A heavily made-up Harmony strolls down an office corridor...Another female secretary/vamp, tall, brunette, by her side...Hungry look in her eye...

(Wait a bit...William eyes the brunette...Is that?...Nah, Angel shakes his head...An actress...Martin Landau's daughter Juliet...Human playing vamp?...Will looks again...Or is she?...Nah...Angel shakes again...Human...But I couldn't resist casting her...I'm hoping Dru will see and try something so we can capture her...Seeing a copy take our offer might even persuade her in some bizarre way to accept...

Uncanny resemblance, though, huh?...he noted...)

"How is it going, Cordelia?..." the brunette asks her companion... "Did you get that big promotion?..."

(Cordelia?...Wesley stared...Harmony would only do it if I let her...Angel sighed...And human Harm was her friend...I don't think she'd mind...)

"Oh, Esmerelda..." on-screen Harmony sighed... "I got turned down again..."

"What?...But you are such an efficient administrative assistant...And have such a sterling no-kill record..."

"But I lack the one thing required to move up at the new Wolfram-Hart, Inc..."

A soul...

Oh... "Esmerelda" nods...A soul...

"It's Mr. Angel's new policy...To win promotion past the D-9 level, every employee must have a soul, cursed or otherwise..."

Cut to various beaming employees... "I've got a soul..." a dark, Dracula-like type smiles... "So do I..." a rather hideous-looking demon grins...With several thumbs raised... "I just won mine...And is what I hadn't killed of my human family proud..." an attractive young vampiress beams... "I've got my soul back and I'm on the fast track to career advancement..." a tall, handsome brown-haired vamp gives an eager, but dignified nod...

"What I am gonna do...?" "Cordelia" sighs... "Sweetie, the solution is obvious...You have to get your soul back..." "Esmerelda" pats her... "Like I did..."

You?... "Cordelia" stares...But how?...And isn't it painful?...

"Extremely painful...And the pain is nothing compared to the arduous journey required...But think how you'll feel when it's done...After you get over the horrible remorse and insanity..."

Hmmn... "Cordelia" ponders...

Cut to shot of William in spiffy suit...Looking a tad ill at ease...

(Only did this to impress my girl you know...Helping my fellow suffering lost ones...Will notes firmly...And I am not wearing a monkey suit every day in the office...)

"Hello...I'm William Soames Walthrop...aka William the Bloody...aka Spike...Heroic fighter against evil, law partner, poet...Vampire..."

('My heart expands...Tis grown...A budge in it...' Illyria sighs dreamily...Wesley staring at her...Perhaps the human world was worth sparing for the sake of talent such as his...she notes...

'Inspired by...' Harmony continues, likewise sighing...

'Your beauty...' another takes it up...Nina?...Angel stares...)

"Like some of you lot...Including our boss...I was once an unsouled, heartless killer...Then good fortune and the love of a good woman...A glorious, wonderful woman...A woman such as..." Spike!...A voice hissed off-camera... "Right...A terrific woman...Led me...Unlike certain other souled vampires I could mention...To voluntarily seek out my soul's restoration...I won't say it was easy...Hell, it was the hardest damned near impossible thing I've done in a career of doing the impossible...And painful, God...Buffy if you only knew, my darling..." Spike!... "Right...As I say, it was tough...But here I am...A souled, world-saving champion with a chance for full Humanity and a ticket to Heaven practically in my pocket...Not to mention a reasonably nice corner office...Though, it could be better!..." Spike!...

"Right...So, if you've the balls and the guts, why not join the growing ranks of the few, the proud, the heroic, the romantic, the everloving beyond eternity, Buf...In case you're ever free for a date at least in Heaven?...Oh, darling...!" Spike!...

(I thought the PR boys were cutting all that out...Angel groused to Wesley...Well, Angel...Actually they thought it was an inducement...Polls indicated most vampires found his yearning romantic bit appealing...)

"Right...The courageous, the noble...The...Voluntarily...Unlike certain fellows I could mention...Human-souled vampires...Wolfram-Hart, Inc...Thanks to bloody me...Can show you how...Call now...And get started on the path to success by way of Africa...And to avoiding bloody Eternity in Hell, which our boss lad for one can tell you is not the vacation playground the demon brochures crack it up to be..."

"Bet the goddamn Immortal superpoof never had the balls to try it...Ask him, Buf...!...And I'm sorry for not calling you sooner...I had this bloody stupid idea about keeping my sacrifice pure!...Just say the word and I'm on a..."

Cut back to "Cordelia" and "Esmerelda..."

Well?... "Esmerelda" eyes her friend...

"Wow...Sounds like I'm headed for Africa today!..." "Cordelia" notes brightly...

"How's about you?..." she stares out from the screen...

(The blonde vampiress of low intellect is not preparing to leave for Africa today...Illyria notes to Wesley... She's still mulling it over...he replies...Big step for her...)

"Immortal Beloved..." XXI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Hey, I was asked to do another...(And of course these are not parts of a story but different retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of 'Girl In Question'..."

LA...Wolfram-Hart tower...Angel's office...

"So...The capo's here?...Been here all this time?...Courtesy the Immortal..." Spike sighs, rereading the Immortal's card... 'Gentlemen...with my compliments...Regards, the Immortal...' he reads as Angel grabs the bag...Looking inside...

Holy!...He blinks...Ummn...Will?... "What?..." William stares at him...

"Do you remember the capo having blonde hair...?"

Rome...Early morning, hours earlier...

Andrew regards Dawn, now transfixed in permanent shriek...And the huddled bundle left on their doorstep...With card...

"Regardsless...The Immortal..."

"Well..." he sighs... "I did tell Spike and Angel he had his flaws..."

LA...Wolfram-Hart conference room...Later the next day...

Angel faces the angry leaders of the potentially warring factions, William by his side, other surviving members of his team temporarily secure in the basement bunker...

"So!..." one leader glares... "You have failed to bring us the capo, eh?..."

Well...Yes...Angel nods...All the leaders rise...

"However..." he pushes the bag forward on the table... "Courtesy of the Immortal, we offer this instead...A honored trophy to be passed from clan to clan for whatever period yourselves determine..."

Whoa...The first leader opens the bag...And with a smile, passes it round...

"This is even better than the capo we expected...I rule for peace..."

Angel...William hisses...We can't do this...

"Did her people even call us to let us know?...And Buffy would be happy to end one more potential disaster..."

"Yeah, but...I was gonna..."

"I don't wanna hear..."

No...You bloody perv, I wasn't gonna keep it!...he whacks Angel, as the demon leaders continue to happily pass their prize around... "I was gonna hold a memorial service..."

"She hold a service for you?..."

Well...Will reflects...

(Now be fair I did warn you...)

"Immortal Beloved...XXII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: It's all yours and ME's, Joss...Except the 'Soames Walthrop'...

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Hmmn?...Where do I get my ideas?...Well, I was plating this pneumonia culture deadly enough to wipe out Cleveland and...(Remember they're not parts of one story, but a series of retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of "Girl In Question")

Castle Immortale

The Austrian Alps...The well-appointed castle-chateau of The Immortal...Three months after that fateful May 5th...

A battle is in progress...The massed but outnumbered and outstaked minions of the Immortal fall back under heavy odds...Besieged by an army of Slayers, their cyborg allies, and the forces of Wolfram-Hart, Inc (newly purged of its former board of directors and senior partners and under the heroic and firm control of Liam Angel and William S. Walthrop, esquires and attorneys-at-law (faked documents pending actual law school))...Despite efforts at explanation and negotiation over his role in assisting the ex-senior Wolfram-Hart partners to reach Earth, there seems little hope of stopping the brutal assault...

But fortunately, although our aristocratic Immortal disdains violence, he has an ally and partner well-tempered in such things...

"Why don't they listen?..." Buffy fumes to her latest... "I told them you weren't really helping the senior partners, just luring them to destruction like you told me...If it hadn't been for you, Angel and William couldn't have had a chance to defeat them...After they'd slaughtered so many friends...Do they think I wouldn't have come in answer to their and Giles' pleas for help if I hadn't been sure you were telling the..." A horde of flaming arrows through the nearest window answers her question eloquently...

"Apparently they feel you have been misled, my dear..." the Immortal sighs...Shrugging a bit... "Perhaps...They've learned a few details about my actions via the one surviving senior partner in their custody...Lies of course, darling..." he reassured her...

"But, possibly...Convincing ones..."

"I'll go talk to Will...He still loves me, I know it...Keeps sending me poetry..." she beams... Ummn, of course, as you say Henri...It's very bad poetry, worthy only of chucking into the flames and snickering at...she notes dutifully, eyeing his stern gaze... However loving and devoted beyond death it may be...

"Yes...I think the situation is past that, Buffy..." the Immortal notes as several screaming minions display a lack of tact, discipline, and that certain proper regard for the things that matter by running in flames down the main hall and past them...

Well, in wartime, one must let standards slip sometimes...Count Henri Faucomb d'Vestigy, the celebrated Immortal sighs to himself...Yes...He eyes his companion...Perhaps the Greatest Slayer of all time but not quite the woman of culture and breeding he could have wished for...Yes, one must sometimes let standards slip...

"Well, I guess we'll have to fight it out then..." she notes... "At least we know we're on the right side, right?..."

Certainly...Henri smiles a winning smile... Or would have been if those damned senior partners had won out and killed those two idiot human-souled vampires...At last I would have been granted my proper place in the world...

"Slayers have penetrated the grounds!...The castle wall and magics shield are breeched!..." the cries fly round...

"Well...There's only one thing to do..." Henri shakes his head... "Set the self-destruction mechanism and have a force hold the enemy off while I make my withdrawal..."

Ummn...We...Make our withdrawal...Henri...?...Buffy suggested...My dear...He eyes her kindly...As a devoted father would an idiot child...

"I must survive to continue writing my life-affirming books...My latest nearly ready to go to the printers, and coming soon to a bookstore near you...The world must not be denied my wisdom..."

Ummn...?

"But as a hero as of old...My devoted champion..." he pats her... "I know you will fight to the last to make good my escape..."

As your William did...he slyly notes...For love...

"And I am sure your love at least equals his..." Uh...she blinks...

Sir...A distinguished butler enters the room, bearing heavy weapons and a box... "We must hurry..."

"Here, my dear..." Henri hands her the box... "A mystic self-destruct...Press it only after I am safely away..."

Henri?...she stares... "You're not staying to fight and die with..."

"Buffy...?" he stares, genuinely shocked... "Such ridiculous romantic heroics are for simpletons like your William...Men and demons of true character and value know their worth and laugh at such things...After all, I am... 'The Immortal...'...And the world needs me..."

Whereas you...Are a slayer...Though the greatest of the horde...he smiles fondly...

"Anyway..." he pulls on a parachute proffered by the butler who frowns at the foolish young girl wasting the Immortal's valuable escape time...

"A long-term future between us is of course impossible..."

What?...But...I thought...I gave up any chance of William for...

"Buffy...Your William might have been willing to terminate his immortal existence at your death, but as for 'The Immortal' (the butler straightening and giving a proud look at the name)...He must refuse to spurn his great gift so cavalierly..."

And of course, for a sensitive creature of the night like me, a permanent association with the foul she-beasts who prey on my people...Former humans, I should note...Without compassion even for poor human-souled fools like your Angel and William...Is unthinkable...Degrading...

"Beneath me..."

Buffy stands, jaw-dropped...Guards summoned by the butler, experienced in dealing with the sometimes troublesome break-ups of his master and his women, separating her from her beau...Who donned more protective gear, flak jacket, then high-tech sunglasses and hat...

"You see Buffy..." Henri pauses at the door, the guards taking positions all along his route...Heavy explosions now shaking the whole building...Ceiling tiles and plaster falling... "I feel I am still, despite my centuries of existence...The finest pastry dough...Still forming...And being formed..."

Perhaps someday, the right woman...Or female of some kind...May be found worthy and allowed to partake of my baked pastry...But, til then...

"You will always have a place in my heart, dearest...Oh, and I recommend using the self-destruct...Far less painful than burning to death in the ruins...Ciao mi caro..."

Caro?...Buffy thinks... "Hey, isn't it...?"

"I was talking to Hudson here, dear..." Henri explains...The butler giving an arch look...

"But Henri...You said you still needed for me to be here..."

I should think that 'need' would be obvious...he noted, looking round at the shaking walls...

"Farewell...My dear slayer...I...Am very fond of you..."

Hey, at least I didn't lie...Henri smiles to us...

Two days later...

In the office of the former Italian CEO of Wolfram-Hart, Europe...Now working independently...Henri shakes his nobly aristocratic and divinely handsome head...

"It cannot be...My slayer opted not to take the noble way out as her love for me should have indicated...?...Survived?... Though at least with gruesome, potentially permanent injuries...And is even now being tended faithfully in hospital by her loving William?..."

How could she betray my fondness for her?...Overcoming my natural repugnance...Like this...?

"Slayers...A fickle, untrustworthy, filthy people..." his new lawyer notes, shaking her head...And various other exposed areas...Vigorously...

"Let us hear no more of them!..." Hack!...Pitooe!...

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"Immortal Beloved...XXIV..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: It's all yours and ME's, Joss...Except the 'Soames Walthrop'...

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, now I've gone entirely too far...(Remember they're not parts of one story, but a series of retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of "Girl In Question")

LA...Wolfram-Hart tower...May7th...Late afternoon...

"Spike!...Express Mail's here for you..." Harmony hollered to him as he passed...

"Who the bloody..." he began...Stopping as he saw her face...

From Rome...she nodded with a slight grin...

He grabbed the package from the hapless driver and hurried to his new office...Angel emerging from his as he heard the noise in the hall...

"Spike?..." he whirled round as the office door closed...And burst open... "Tape player?...Stereo?...Anything?..." William hollered to Harmony, waving a cassette tape...Here, she offered a small player...

(Walking on Broken Glass...Annie Lennox...)

"Walking on Walking on broken glass" plays...

He looked at the note tucked in...

"Ok, clown...You're the one working for the wealthy evil corporation...You buy the ticket ...I'll be the other lovestruck short blonde with the equally lovestruck taller brunette waiting all day at the terminal in Rome...

Yeah...His Benevolence has taken a hike...At my gentle urgin'..."

P.S. "You is movin' for that door right now, right? Cause if I gotta hit Giles for the fare, it ain't gonna be pretty when I get to you...

My love..."

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"Immortal Beloved...XXV..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: It's all yours and ME's, Joss...Except the 'Soames Walthrop'...

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!... Summary: This one was kindly suggested by Ms. Pamela Rimshaw...(Remember they're not parts of one story, but a series of retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of "Girl In Question")

LA...Wolfram-Hart tower...May 6th...

William and Angel emerge from his office with the bagged capo...Each looking rather...

"Spike!..." Harmony calls from her desk... "There was something else...For you..."

From Rome, Special Del...He tears the package out of her hands...Tearing it open as Angel hurries over...

"Well?..." Angel stares... A frowning Harmony glaring at Will...Het-hum...

"It's...A tape..." William holds the cassette tape out, staring...HET-HUM!...Harmony yells... "What?...Oh, sorry...Thanks..." he absently waves at her... "Find a tape player, would you?..."

"Hey, fetching for you is not my..." "Harmony, get a tape player...And where's my coffee?..." Angel turns away to follow William back to his own new office...

I think a certain underappreciated somebody might just take that offer the Senior Partners made her last night...she thinks grimly...

William's office...Ten minutes later...Angel hovering rather anxiously as Will sits at his desk, fumbling with the tape player...

"Well?..." "Hold your panties, poof...And just be glad I'm willin' to let you hear this...It is addressed to me, you know...Personal..."

"Like you really want to hear it alone..." Angel eyes him... "If it's a kindly brush-off, it's fine...I've moved on, I can deal...You're the one pacing like an over-eager 16 year old on poof's prom night...Sit down..."

Was that the way you looked when you met her at that prom, by the way?...Angel glared, taking a seat...Then sighs, remembering...

"Yeah...Kinda..."

"Well...All set..."Will sets the player down...Looking at Angel...Yeah...He nods...

"She'd never be mean about it, Will... " he kindly notes, seeing William's nervous look... "And who knows..."

Right...Will sighs...Pressing the button...

(Love Song for a Vampire...Annie Lennox...)

"Come into these arms again

and lay your body down

the rhythm of this trembling heart

is beating like a drum

it beats for you, it bleeds for you

come into these arms again...

and set this spirit free..."

The boys blinked at each other a long moment...

"Whatdaya think?..." Will nervously asked... "She's probably just tryin' to be nice, right...?"

Angel stared at him...What the hell?...

"I mean...Maybe she's saying... 'I might consider you if you made Humanity and all...But as for now'..."

"Will, are you insane...Still?..."

"Well, maybe this was meant for the Immortal poof...She just got the packages mixed..."

"You idiot!...You and your goddamn 'pure sacrifice'...She's been waiting for you to...Hey, wait..." Angel looked in the package... "There's a note..."

"Where have you been?...Why don't you come?...And why the hell didn't you stay last night?...

The Immortal jackass is just work...We needed to get close to him...Though, hell...The way you've been treating me...

You think I was lying, don't you?...You stupid...If you make me force poor Giles to cough up a plane ticket, I will beat the unliving crap out of you when I get there...

You get on a plane...Today...Now...Or so help me...

And if dear Dru has miraculously been re-human-souled, courtesy you and Angel...And you've taken up with her...Out of kindness, I know...

Tell the psycho to sleep lightly...

Love (That means what it says, jerk!),

Buffy..."

"Well..." Will eyed the note carefully... "It could be a hint that she's interested...But it could have a hidden..."

Grrr...Angel fumed...Well, only one thing to do...Pow!...He socked him unconscious with one blow...Dragging him to the hall... "Harmony, have the company jet prepared for another flight to Rome..." he called...Pulling Will down to the elevator...

"Sometimes a grandparent just has to intervene..." he noted to Wesley as he passed...

"Immortal Beloved...XXVI..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: It's all yours and ME's, Joss...Except the 'Soames Walthrop'...

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Remember they're not parts of one story, but a series of retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of "Girl In Question"

And of course, this one is also linked to the Cicelyverse

LA...William's apartment...May 8th...About 2 am...

A crashing sound causes the rather preoccupied Mr. William Soames Walthrop to look up...

The doorbell rings...With a sigh, William puts down his law books...Actually earning his degree as a new-minted associate partner seeming like a good start to 'getting on with his life'...Lovely...Some challenger looking to test his prowess...or Angel and co with some 'major crisis'...

Well, one must earn one's six figure salary...

Vague sounds of someone singing...

Play "Non Dementicar"

'Non Dimenticar'?...he blinks a little...And that awful screech of a singing voice...No...It couldn't be...

A rather bedraggled, wobbily...Buffy...Standing on his doorstep, champagne bottle in hand...

"Hiya!..." she waved... "Took me a lil' trip ta LA and thought I'd drop by and say...Hiya!..." she waved again vaguely...Swaying a bit...

"Non dimentalbar means don't you damned well forget you...!" she began singing again...

Buffy?...he stared at her...

"Are you soused, girl?..."

"No..." she frowned...He grabbing at her as she nearly fell...Pulling her in... "Don' mind if I do..." she giggled, and pulling back, looked round...Nice place ya got here...Ya...she nodded...

"Buffy?...What the hell are you doing here?...Why didn't you call?...And what have you been drinkin'?..."

"Champagne..." waves the bottle...Wan' some?...Later, maybe...He shook his head... "Plus some stuff I had at the airport bar in Rome...We calls it 'Roma', did ya know?..." she notes... "An' I had a coupla lil' ones on the plane...And just a few more at da airport here...An' then I hadda have a lil' champagne ta celebrate seein' ma hon'..."

And why didn't you call?...she glared... "Miser'ble sob...Cum ta Rome and don' stay...Don' tell your lovin' hon' you're unlive and unlivin' in LA...Basta..."

"Nice place ya got...Ang'l treatin' ya ri'?..." she looks round again...Swaying again...Could I?...

"Have a seat, please...And let me get you some coffee..." he waves her to a chair...She staggering over, refusing his aid...Is'fine...A-ok... "I'll get the coffee going..." he turns for the kitchette...

Coffee?...she frowns...Waving the champagne... "I wanna have champagne...Party Buf gotta cel'brate..."

Her hon' cum ta Rome...We calls it 'Roma'...And don' even leave a note...

"Cause he don' wan' her...Thinks she's a hearty...h'artless bitch..." He moved back into the living room, staring at her...Buffy?...

And mebbe...he's...she sighs...Tears beginning to flow...

"No, Buffy...You're right, I should have called you...See..."

No...She waved a hand...Par' Buf ain't down...Nuthin' ever gets Par' Buffy down...

"She shoves her first lover inta Hell...Hey, no sweat...Den...She lets the guy who loves her like nobody ever will again fry...And never tries to get him back...Lik Willa did her..." she shook her head... Nope...Nuthin' gets her down...

"The guy who no soul gets his soul for her...And she tells 'im... 'I gotta have Spike the crazy killer demmen bac', who gives a damn bout you, soully-boy...I gotta mission...'..."

I gotta mission...she stares into the room at nothing, tears running...

"Buffy...You saved me from the First...We had a fight to win..."

"Tol' him 'I wanna ya ta stay round...I ain't reddy for ya not to be here...'...But never tol him...Til it wus too late...Left him there to fry...All alone..."

But he got smar'...she gave a wan smile... "Showed a lil' good sen' and didn't even try to call..."

Smar'...she nodded..."Bitch'd prob' get 'im killed and nefer give him a kind..." she sobbed, then looked up...Wan' a lil' drink?...she raised the bottle...No?...She took a swig...

"Buffy...That's not why..."

"And before dat...When she cums back from the ded...Who's dere?...Patchin' her hands...Trying to help...Dere for her...Soulless Willy...Da poor sap...And does she thank 'im?...Hold a stak' ta Willow's throat to get her to get 'im a soul back...Lik' he needs one, poor soulless, lovin' sap...Oh, no...She'll have sex wid him...Let him help her...But will she help him?...You kiddin?...Beat him up wha' she does...Ever'time he tries ta help her...Hey, Par' Buf got things ta do..."

"Buffy...You couldn't trust me and you had no way to know that..."

"He took car'a Dawnie for months...No soul, but he loved me dat much...Just hopin' I'd be nice ta his soul in Heaven...But Par' Buf can't let a lil' thing like that slow her down...No way..."

"I wanted to do it, Buf...You didn't owe me..."

"No soul...But he found dat love...And no one else...Will ever love me lik..." she buried her face in her hands...

"Buffy..." he came over...Pulling the hands gently away...She stared at his face, then his hands on hers...

"She cut dem off, ri'...?" she pulled the sleeves back and felt the scars... "I shoulda killed her for dat...Psycho or no..."

But hey...Another feeble grin...Par' Buf can' be bothered by lil' things like dat...She gotta live for the day...The next fight...The new mission...

"Buffy...The only thing that matters to me is...You're here..." he smiled...

She stared at him...Yeah...Here...Eight months too late...she sighed...

"But dats not all...Not da best part..." she shook her head... "Da best par' dat Par' Buf just found out the other day...Tryin' to fin' out about her hon'...Where he came from...Who loved him...Tryin' to show she cared enough ta..."

"She put him here..." Buffy stared at him...Buffy?...

"I killed ya, Will...Well...Dru did it but I sent ya...Well, ok...My twin did it..."

F-ing...Halfreck...

"Buffy, you're not making..."

"My name was Cicely then..." she looked at him... "I wuz a grat Slayer...In 18 an' 80...An' one day...I met dis beautiful lil' poet...Whose po'try wasn't da best but it wuz good...Really, Will..." she nodded eagerly...As he stood, shocked...Staring...

Cicely?...

"I loved him...But I knew he'd die...I'd never be able to keep him safe...Dey'd get him...The monstas...So...When my Watcher tol me about Halfreck...And she looked just like me...Cause vengeance demmen relatives can do dat, ya know?...I let her tell him..." she burst into tears again as he stood, watching her...

"An' Dru did the rest...Though I wuz a big help...Didn't find him in time...Couldn't hunt him down..."

Ma lil' poet wuz a damned fine vamp, though...Da bes'...she eyed him...

"I guess I cutta deal with the PTBs, damn basta'...Made em send me bac'...Here..." she waved a hand... "As good ole Buffy..."

But she screwed it...And now she don' get screwed...Not by her William...Nefer 'gain...

"Cause he growed a brain...Don' wan' her the hell near him again..."

Cicely...he gasped...Kneeling beside her...An expression beyond love...Or hate...On his face...Cicely...

"Gotta go..." she made a faint move to rise... "Par' Buf's done spilled her guts and now she gotta go and saf the world...Mebbe, please God, one of dem'll get her dis time...And in Heaven...Mebbe..." she looked at his drawn face...

Mebbe he'll forgive her...Like Pip...

" 'Member Will?...You used to read 'Great Expectations' ta me...Ta Cicely...'Fore she got scared...I member it now..."

I 'member lotta things now...Now...she put her head in her hands...Then raised it... " 'Member Will?...Crazy Miss Havisham?...She wan' Pip to write 'I forgive her' in her book...An' Pip said... 'I can forgive you now...'...I can forgive you...No waitin'..."

Well...she sighed...Staring at his quiet, cold face... "Par' Buf's gotta go..."

No...He said firmly...Holding her down...No...

She struggled a bit in his grip to rise...No, she sobbed...You don' luv me...You can'...

"I'll hurt ya...I'll kill ya...Again...Oh, William...Let me go...Lemme...Just..."

"I forgive you...I love you, Cicely...You can't leave me again...I couldn't bear it, girl...Please..."

"I'll kill ya...You'll be killed...You'll...Hate me..."

"I'd rather be killed...And have you for ten minutes...Then live forever and never..." he held her firmly...

"If you go, there's nothing here for me..." he told her... "Fun as playing Angelic hero may be...It pales quickly for my sort...I'm afraid I just ain't the type to be satisfied with doin' my noble duty...I need something...Tangible..."

And as I don't care about having the spotlight on me...I can focus on you...he noted...Try to take care of you...

"Beginning with getting some coffee into you..."

"No...You can't...I hurt or kill everyone who loves me...It's ma fate...I shoulda known back den in 1880...The Slayer can' love anyone...She gotta live and die...By herself..."

"That's the way Slayers die...And I oughta know...Buffy...I don't care...I'll take whatever I can get...A year, a month, a moment...And if we live...When you can't go on, I won't let you go alone..."

Don't sentence yourself to this again, Cicely...Don't sentence me...Don't drive me away again...Oh, darling...

"I can forgive you now..." he smiled at her... "And you can love me now...If you'll just..."

Say...He stared at her quiet face...She looking at him, a wan smile...He took the bottle...Hmmn...

"Drunk, are you?...This is seltzer water..."

Real champagne's back at my hotel...she gave a sheepish look...Though I am kinda plastered...And I done drink much as I said...

"I was so scared you'd already found out...I could see ya suspected...And I was so afraid that you hated me..."

You're being angry is ok...It's just hate hate that I was worried about...she explained...Swaying again...

"But...It was either take the gamble and come meself...Or let the first vamp I ran into on my next Patrol turn me..."

Well, then you'd have come to saf me...she explained...And ma demmen loves you, too...I'm sure...She'd've gone along with going to Africa for the soul once you'd caught her and tole her to...

I think I will take that coffee...she grinned a bit... "If you don't plan ta throw it at me..."

Yeah?...he eyed her... "Well, now you mention it...I did note a lot of coincidences in our relationship..."

You're still holding back and dodging and weaving as much as ever...Cicely...he noted coldly...

"Please Will...You're not the only one who's got nothing here for them...I wasn't lying...I can't do it this time round without you...It doesn't work for me anymore...See..." She paused and pulled out a sheet of paper from a blouse pocket...

"'My heart expands...Tis grown a bulge in it...

Inspired by...Your beauty effulgent...'"

He blinked...

"It's on ma...er Cicely's tombstone..." she noted...

"Immortal Beloved...XXVII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: It's all yours and ME's, Joss...Except the 'Soames Walthrop'...

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Remember they're not parts of one story, but a series of retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of "Girl In Question"

London...New Council of Librarians' and Library Scientists' (Slayer-Watcher Council) Hall...Late night, three days after Angel and William went to battle against the W-H Senior Partners...

"Buffy..." Giles pleads...Attempting to look at her...

A difficult feat as he is bound and hanging by his arms from a large beam in the main hall...Dawn beside him, likewise hanging whimpering in pain...Willow trussed and also hanging, next to her, unconscious...A mystic energy-draining orb beneath her...

Buffy busily prepping a bound, unconscious Xander for a similar fate...Humming contentedly to herself as she does...She pauses to look up at Giles...A serene, content, hideously cold look on her face as she scans his agonized face...

"Yeah, Giles?...What's..." she grins, eyeing his stretched arms... "Up..."

'Sides you, I mean...

"It was my fault, Buffy...You must spare the others...You can't do this...Your..." he groans in pain as the effort to speak causes his ropes to twist..."

"Not...Your own sister...Buffy..."

"Energy ball sis?...She was in on it, wasn't she?...Happy to follow your instructions to the letter and lie to me all this time, right?...Like all of them were..."

Willow with her little drug to ease my grief and encourage me to give that Immortal the time of day...she smiled over at the slowly twisting Willow...Who moaned slightly a moment then was still again... "Just bad luck for her, it was magics-based...And the Immortal didn't like winning me with help..."

"You telling them all to keep me from finding out William was back, in LA, even if it meant a lil' Wiccan mind control...And they all did such a bang-up job, Giles...You should be proud..."

Pity Andy can't be here with us...He was so essential to your little scheme after he met Will in LA...

"But hey, even a minor case of hideous death by insanely angry Slayer can keep you down a while..."

"I made...The decision, Buffy...Punish me, not..."

"Last time I checked my friends and fam had free wills...They wanted William gone as much as you did...Heck, what's a little thing like having a soul and saving their miserable hides and the world..."

Spike was...he began...

"William!..." she screamed up...Xander groaning faintly... "His name was William, Watcher...You outta know...It's been in the archives since your Council arranged his murder a century ago!..."

But...She calmed...You really deserve a major commendation yourself, Mr. Chairman... "For finally finishing the job after all these years...Making sure Cicely the Vampire Slayer and William Soames Walthrop never find each other...That she never hears his words of forgiveness for going along with her Watcher's scheme to drive him away in 1880...That..." she began sobbing...Giles continuing to try to reach her, she ignoring his pleas...

"Course, credit for the final act itself, must go to the Wolfram-Hart senior partners...Thank God, you had an apocalypse handy...And what luck I didn't know William was in the middle of it...Or that Angel hadn't actually joined the ranks of Evil for his son's sake..."

Though I don't think I'd ever have doubted him if it weren't for Willow's help...And the rest of the guys' constant pressure...

"Buffy...Please...I did what I thought was best...I feared...Cicely's presence in your life as much as William's...It would have destroyed you...Put you at Spike's mercy..."

"I think I kinda like Cicely's 'presence', Giles...And I gotta tell ya..." she pouted up at him... "Trying to run my life like this...Lying like this all these years...Tres domineering, even given you were like my second...Heck, lets be honest...My true...Father to me..."

You knew...she sighed...All this time you knew...And I thought you were trying to protect me from letting my heart get the better of me over Spike the mad killer with an insane desire for me, his nemesis...

"But it was your Council you were trying to protect...From me..."

And my poor husband...You son of a bitch...

"I feared for you, Buffy...Cicely is dead...You have your life to..."

"Buffy and Cicely are one...They came back to find their husband's poor lost soul, struggling to hang on to Spike, refusing to let go, trying for a century to find his wife on Earth, sure she hadn't meant to abandon him...They returned to reclaim the life your Council wouldn't let them have, stole from them..."

And you took it all away...Just when...

"Well..." she waved a hand... "I guess I should let bygones be bygones...On the personal level...But...As 'the Law'...I can't help feeling...As I'm sure you must...Responsibly civilized, sober man that you are, Giles...That justice is called for here..."

"This isn't you, Buffy...Listen to me...You can't...You'll cut yourself...Your soul...Off from any hope of finding him in the next world..."

Got that right, Giles...she grinned...

"Buffy couldn't do it...To cut herself as well as her William in Heaven off from any hope, no way...Or even to you guys, no matter how much she wanted to kill you all...Cicely?...Well, maybe...Not knowing you well and hating the Council as she did..."

Still, even she had her moral scruples...Those nice old Victorian ones...

"But, after Buffy learned the truth the other day in the Council archives...About William being alive...And about Cicely...And learned from your rather talkative old boys that William and Angel had been killed stopping the Senior Partners...And that if she had known in time, she might have saved them...Well, they could...Together...Commit suicide...To be with their poor Will's soul..."

Letting a vamp do it...And letting me...Buffy's demon...Out to deal with all of you...Simply appealed to their mutual sense of justice...After all, what's the big deal about dying, right?...A little pain and you clowns go to bliss...

Or punishment...she smiled coldly...

"And if it was good enough for our William...Heck, why shouldn't you guys experience a little justice...You, Andrew, and Willow did kill your fellow man after all...Dawn helped you, very likely caused Mom's death, and isn't real anyway...And Xander?...Well, maybe Anya will forgive him what he did to her...And those lousy jokes at the crater when her corpse was rotting in the rubble..."

Afraid I...And Buffy-Cicely...Can't quite forgive what he did to us...Going along with you as he did...

"Fortunately...Buf left me enough magics to cover my presence till I got you all where I wanted you..."

"Buffy..." Giles stared at the demon face in what horror his battered body could manage...

"Call me Anne, Giles...Nice to finally meet ya in the about-to-rot flesh..."

"Immortal Beloved...XXIX..."

A longer entry but basically a one part shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: It's all yours and ME's, Joss...Except the 'Soames Walthrop'...

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, now I've gone utterly and entirely too far...(Remember they're not parts of one story, but a series of retellings during and after the Rome rendezvous of "Girl In Question")

Rome...Dawn and Buffy's place...May 18th, 2004...Evening...

Buffy sits, a bit down in the dumps on the sofa, watching television...Andrew beside her, offering what comfort he can...

Pointing out that things seem to be going well with the Immortal and all...Yeah...Buffy answers curtly...

"Why didn't you tell him to stay?..." she glares at her roomie and fellow (probational) New Counselor...

"All these months...All my calls, my letters...He won't answer, sends them back...Finally he comes...And you tell him I've 'moved on'...?"

But...Andy looks at her, blinking...You said...You told us when you started up with His Benev...

Dawn sighs inwardly on hearing as she enters with the unopened mail, dumped by sis on the hall table...Not this again...

C'mon sis...Spike does the right thing for once and leaves you be...And you can't let it go...

Though, damn him...He coulda called and told us he was alright...That thing about the hands really upset her...

"Mail..." she calls cheerily, hoping to break Buf's gloom a bit...God, I wish that pompous Immortal jackass would show tonight...Much as I hate the idea of sis with another vamp, at least he made her smile a little...

But he could see before any of us...Her heart wasn't in it...Good thing, despite the lack of true soul, he's sorta midway twixt good and evil...Although...A little rough and tumble with a fairly competent baddie might be just the thing for her now...

Buffy rose, reaching for the mail with a sigh...Already checked...Not a thing from LA...

Thank God, at least no more returned letters of hers...Dawn thought...Though I know she's tried yet again...Hmmn...

"Hey there's a package from ..." she opened it as Buffy took the others...Bills, fan mail from new and worshipful Slayers...Hmphf...A threatening letter from some guy claiming to be my greatest nemesis...

"Did you order a tape?..." Dawn looked at her sis...Holding the open box out to her...No, Buffy shook her head...

Yikes...Dawn blinked at the card she'd just pulled...Buffy took a look at her face and grabbed it and the tape away...

"Buffy,

Sorry I couldn't hook up in Rome...And sorry I didn't try to call or write sooner...Jitters, I guess...Anyway, I wanted to say that Angel and I seem to be managing to avoid tearing each other's throats out...Luckily for him...And I'm doing my best...As I will always...For your sake...

We seem to be likely to have some trouble with the Senior Partners here, so thought I'd best drop a line in case things don't work out...Believe me, Buffy...Giles has got it wrong...Angel's never been in their corner, just trying to make things work out for his kid's sake...(If you forget Connor, the kid, it's a spell...Have ole Red take a gander, should be easy to clear on your side of the pond...)

The fourth song on the tape is the one...A bit sappy, perhaps, but Ole Kurt Weill, however bad a singer, always had a way of saying things right...Our moment was swift, we were two ships adrift, and swept apart...But, forgive me if I choose to believe that for the moment, it was real...Though no one could be happier for you if you are making out well with that...You know...

If we do meet again, to steal from the best England's ever produced...Why then, we'll smile...

If not, then...Yes, my darling...This parting was well made...

Thank you...For the soul, for your faith in me, for everything...

Love beyond the world,

William...Soames Walthrop (in case you'd ever like to know)..."

Now he sends a note like that?...Dawn frowns, looking over Buffy's trembling shoulder...

The Slayer put the tape in their apartment stereo...The trembling, high-pitched accented voice of Kurt Weill filled the room...

(Speak Low...Kurt Weill, Ogden Nash...)

"Speak low when you speak, love

Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon

Speak low when you speak, love

Our moment is swift, like ships adrift, we're swept apart, too soon

Speak low, darling, speak low

Love is a spark, lost in the dark too soon, too soon

I feel...Wherever I go...That tomorrow is near, tomorrow is here and always too soon

Time is so old and love so brief

Love is pure gold and time a thief

We're late, darling, we're late

The curtain descends, ev'rything ends too soon, too soon

I wait, darling, I wait

Will you speak low to me?...Speak love to me?...And soon?..."

"Something's wrong..." Buffy's pale face turned red as she coldly eyed Dawn, then Andrew... "Someone's been screwing with us..."

Dawn looked at Andrew, he at her...Ummn...

Meanwhile...

Deep beneath LA...The vast pit of the Well of Souls beneath the Wolfram-Hart tower...

A battered Angel grimly hanging on at a glowing mass of rock, the portal through which the Partners must come...William and Illyria fighting off a determined horde of demons...

The demons falter, a number falling back, seeing that the portal is being resealed even as Angel feels his last strength ebbing away... "Spike!..." he calls...

"Can't..."

"Take the mat, girl..." Will turns to Illyria as they both charge the demoralized group...The demons retreat, Illyria pursuing..."Wesley!..." her battle cry...William moves to the portal...

"William!..." a voice calls...Buffy...He turns...

"You have to leave with me...It's done...It's ok...They're finished...Come now..." she reaches out...

I'm here...I've come...I love you...Don't die here...

"Will..." Angel calls feebly... "Hurry..."

"So..." William eyes 'Buffy'... "It's you again...Back from Hell already?...I commend your team spirit, girl..." He turns to the wall and sinks his hands in...Screaming momentarily from the pain...

"You fool..." the First sneers... "I give you a chance...Wasting the remnant of power the Senior Partners passed on to me ...And you throw it away..."

"You know..." Will turns to the dying Angel...At the end of his strength...

"Of all the people in this sad ole world, you were the last one...I ever thought I'd be glad to die with...Gramps..."

A wan smile from Angel... "You've been a one hell of a pain in the ass, grandson...but...Nice to have you here..."

Now, go get me a drink of water...he grinned...Collapsing against the wall...

"Stop it, William...You've won, you're done...We're beat..." the First eyed him...

Sure...Just give me a min...he smiled wanly...His life force ebbing away now...The portal visibly losing energy...

"Will, please...Don't do this...I could be Buffy for you...I can be kind...You've seen me kind..." she smiled at him...

"Enough, girl...Take it like a Buffy..."

There's no amulet to save you this time, William...You'll die for real now...Alone...Friendless...

"No..." he smiled up at her... "Not alone anymore...Not friendless anymore...Wherever I wind up...One good man is my friend...One woman..."

"She's betrayed you, Will...She's not coming this time...She's...Busy..." a harsh sneer...

"Don't matter, girl...I have the moment...And that last year...It'll do...It's fine..." he murmured...

Fine...A hard glare...Die...But first...

"You may as well know the truth..."

Harmony!...she called... Get your miserable, cowardly ass over here!...

Harmony emerged from the shadows...Ummn...He dead, yet?...she eyed Will...

"Almost..." the First glared... "But before he goes...Tell him..."

Enjoy yourself...she smiled coldly...

"I stopped her calls...Returned her letters..." Harmony frowned at William as he staggered against the wall... "She was trying to reach you since the day you appeared in Angel's office...I guess Willow was looking for your spirit for her, and figured out what had happened...But I held everything back..."

It was for your own good, of course...she gave a solemn look... She was no good for you...And you weren't a good match for her...Her friends sure didn't think so...

"They were happy to help me..." she grinned... "For their dear Buf's sake..."

"Anyway, why shouldn't I have done it?...After the way you treated me?...I loved you..."

Well, ok...I didn't love love you...she nodded...But I was there for you...While you...And Angel...And Buffy, back in Sunnydale...

"Left me as I was...Content to stick me behind a desk...Harmony the comic relief vampire...Always good for a laugh..."

Even my soul should've hated you both...Abandoning me like that...Hell, if you had once asked...I would've gone to Africa and gotten my soul back...But you...None of you...Gave a damn...she eyed him...Harmony?...he gasped...

"But I wasn't quite the simp you all took me for..." she grinned...The First eyeing her...

I cut my own deal with the Senior Partners...And your friend here...

"And stupid, silly Harmony...Torpedoed the love of Buffy and Spike...Hell, I knew you two would never have the guts to face each other directly...And the only time I had cause to worry...When you went to Rome...You took care of things yourself...You fools...Both of you...Too afraid the other didn't feel what you felt..."

You really should read her love letters if they let you in Heaven...Or Hell, Will...They were great...Very passionate...Pleading...Heck, she was nearly talking suicide by vamp at one point...

"But you...er me...Sent every one back...Unopened...At least after I had our best spy types steam em and reseal em..."

Poor Buffy...What she must've thought...Harmony chuckled...The First now giving her a slight glare...

Buffy...he gasped...No...

"Well...Maybe she'll say hi in Heaven...Or Hell...And you can talk things out then..." Harmony laughed...The First's glare slightly intensifying...

"So..." the vampiress turned to her...Comrade?... "What do we do now...Do I hafta finish him...?"

No...The First sighed... I wasn't lying...

"It's too late...We've lost..." she eyed Will again...A faint smile on his lips... "Thank you..." he whispered... "That was kind...Letting me know..."

You fool...she murmured...You poor, sad fool...

Lost?...Harmony stared...But...

"You bet on the wrong horse, kiddo...That's the way it goes..." the First grinned at her...Then glared...

You know, as Buffy's representative at this tender scene...I feel it's my duty...To do what she'd've done if she'd not been too preoccupied to assist her lovers...

A burst of energy threw Harmony back down the cavern...

"She'll be sorry...I promise you..." the First smiled faintly at William...Kneeling by him...

"She's not to blame...It was her nature...And we should've done for her..." he murmured, groaning...

"Listen, Will...Let go...I can still save you...Please...I'm not lying...You've won...I..."

A glow of light filled the cavern...Buffy and Willow appearing...The First staring at them...Will vaguely looking up as well...

Buffy?...Both gasped...

"Hurry..." The First called to her...She and Willow blinking in turn at her...You again?...

Angel...Willow gasped, looking at the crumpled body...Buffy rushing to William...But staring at Angel as well...Rage in her face as she looked at the First...

Who, oddly enough...Had anything but a triumphant look in her face...

"It's over...He and Angel have done it...You've won...Take him..." With just the faintest touch of pleading...

Hurry...There's still time...

Buffy grabbed at him...He struggling faintly...No...You're not...

He looked at her...Head sagging...Buffy?...

"Yes, Will...I'm here...I'm not her..." she nodded at the First...

"I can't let go...It's too late..." he whispered feebly...

Willow?...Both Buffy and the First turned to her...She staring at each...

"Get him loose..." the First demanded...Ummn...Yeah...Buffy nodded at Willow, glaring back a bit at her twin...

Willow concentrated as Buffy tried to pull him back...No...Will tried to shove her back...Don't touch me, girl...She gave up, backing away, clearly drained by the brief touch...Staring at Willow...

"I can't...I can't...Willow?..." Willow shook her head...It's no use...

It's too late...The First murmured...A strange note in her voice...

"You...Loved him, too?..." Buffy stared...The First giving a hard, grim stare...Shrugging... "How can I not...You're part of me..."she noted... "As all the Slayers became...When the Watchers stole part of my strength thousands of years ago and gave it to you..." She looked back at William...

"Try again..." she demanded... "Willow?...Oh, take him away, Buffy...Don't let him go like this...Again..." Buffy stared at her a long moment...

My God...Willow thought, looking at the two Buffys...Drusilla, Buffy, the First...And if what we found in the Council archives is true...Cicely...

Not too bad, Mr. Walthrop...I gotta check his poetry out some time...

"No...I won't let him go...Not like this...Not alone again..." Willow staring in horror as Buffy took Will's hand at the wrist where it entered the solidifying wall and embraced him...Her life force now flowing out as well...Faster now as the portal sealed completely...

No...he murmured...No...

"William...Honey...Darling..Let go...Let go...And come...It's time to go home...Time...To go home...Come home with me, my love...Forever..." she whispered in his ear, brushing his hair gently with one hand as they both collapsed against the wall...Willow rushing to them...

Gone...She realized immediately, gently stroking their locked hands...Gone home, together...And looking up saw the First staring down at them...At him...Even as her image began flickering and faded out...

A sorrowful look?...

Love so strong a demon as powerful and vicious as Spike couldn't fight it...Surrendered to it...And even the pure Evil of the First could be moved by it...Willow sighed, putting her head in her hands...

A sobbing sound...she turned...

Harmony...

She glared coldly, moving to a defensive posture...Reaching out...But...Harmony on her knees, hands outstretched, pleading...

"Why?...Why did they do this to me?...Willow?..." she rose, moving slowly towards her...

She stared at the blonde...Oh, my...God...

Human...Harmony...

"Why did they make me live again?...See what I've done?..." a hand waved at the bodies... "My id...Oh, Willow..." Harmony fell to her knees... "God, William...Buffy...Angel...Wesley...forgive me...Forgive me...Cordelia...Forgive me..."

The Prophecy...Willow thought...One would be judged...And chosen...The goal poor Angel had striven for so long...Never realizing...

The Prophecy...Like all the blessings of the Powers That Be, bastards that they are...Both Gift and...

Punishment...

"Immortal Beloved XXX..."

A shortie

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Ok, last one...Thirty being a nice, round number...I swear...Yet another retelling of events during or after the Angel episode "Girl in Question..."

London...A small bookstore...2014...

The thirty-something blonde had been nervously poking through the shelves on History, Religion, the Occult, Cooking (God, how he'd hated having to put that in, but it drew the trade), and Poetry for over an hour before he finally gave up, sighed, rose from his desk, and went to her...

"Hello Buffy..." he eyed her...She smiling at him...William...

"How'd you know it was me?...I figured I'd changed a bit since..."

"You never change, girl..." he said it without a hint of a smile...She stared at him...Her smile freezing a bit...

"But you do..." she nodded, looking away a bit...Then back at him...In his suit, brown-blonde hair, glasses...Spike still in him somewhere, but...

I suppose...he eyed her coolly...

"I wanted to write...Call..." she began...Hmm-hmmn...he nodded, waving her to a small table with chairs on the left side of the store...

"Before or after...?"

She tensed visibly...

"I didn't know about the thing in LA..." she hissed... "Before that I thought you didn't want to..."

"I was afraid...Probably stupid...But you know me, I wanted to hang on to my dreams..." he sighed a bit... "Running over to see you, hearing you make some kind dodge...I couldn't bear it..."

I see...she reddened a bit...

"Well...I was stupid as I said...I should've called...We should've had a nice lil' chat and wished each other well...But you know me..."

Hey!...That's a first-edition, mate!...he called to a customer mishandling an ancient-looking volume...And waving a young clerk over to deal...God, some people...he turned back to her...No consideration...No respect for...

"Why are you angry with me?..." she looked at him directly...Biting a lip...

"Sorry...I can't be polite about it, girl...I lost too much blood over you...And while we're unfortunately stuck on the subject...Why didn't you call or write?...And why are you here?..."

"I told you..." she frowned... "I thought you didn't want me..." she paused... "To try and start things up again, I mean..."

Ah...Well, probably a wise decision on your part...he nodded...But the rest of the question?...

"I wanted to see you...I've wanted to...A long time...But after LA...And poor Angel...I..."

Figured you must hate me...she eyed him...Oh?...he regarded her, arms folded...Pushing up his glasses to see her more clearly...

"Cause I wasn't there..."

"We didn't call you...We didn't expect you...No problem..." he waved a hand...

So...You do hate me...she stared...

"No..." he gave an irritated look... "You've no cause to be hated...But I am angry about a lot of things...Not all to do with you or us directly..."

I'd like to kill your dear ole Giles for example...he smiled...For the way he treated Angel when we needed help for poor ole Winifred...

"But I don't hate you..."

"I'm sorry about Ms. Burkle...And I'm sorry about Angel..."

"He fought the good fight...He's at peace...I like to think he's back with ole Darla's soul and his boy's...Safe in Heaven..."

Course I'd guess he and Darla still do the knock-down, drag-out enough...But he's bout as happy as a Brooding One could ever be...

"I'm glad you became friends..."

"We were...For most of our existences...Just a few rough patches after he got the soul and we met you..." he smiled a bit now...

She returning the smile, clearly relieved, as he thawed a bit...

"So...Why here?...Why now?..." he eyed her...

"I wanted to see you...Isn't that a good enough reason?..."

Not after ten plus years, girl...he shook his brown-haired head...

"I didn't have the nerve before...And I don't think I'd quite..."

Baked?...he grinned...Yeah, Angel used to repeat that speech to me constantly...He thought of it as rather profound...Oh?...she beamed...

"But then he thought 'Star Wars' was profound..."

She stared at him a long moment...He at her...

"I...Am I looking a lot older?..." she asked...

I told you, Buffy...You don't change...At least not for me...

She looked away...Trying to come to a rough spot, he realized...And, as she so often had with emotional situations...Backing away...

The girl who could face down the First and ten thousand demons...And who couldn't face one little emotional scene...Or the little man behind it...

"Humanity suits you, Will..." she tried a new subject...

"I won only by default...And it has its drawbacks...By the way, if you're here looking for Spike the soldier vamp to help out on a big one...Way too late..."

Though as always William would be at your...

"I know..." she nodded... "And I know you never married...Not even a serious relationship?..."

I shag occasionally...he grinned...But no, no one really...How could there be?...

"I never married either...Or stuck with any one..."

Poor Immortal...he grinned... I did enjoy reading about that break-up...

Read?...she blinked...

Sure...There was a side bar in "People"...After all, The Immortal was world-famous...As you would've been if it had been safe for you...he gallantly and hastily added...

"He was a liar and a perv...Not like us in the crypt fun perv, either..." she smiled wanly at him... But as he never killed anyone while I knew him, I let him off easy...A look towards some books on Religion...Her eyes moved to Poetry...Is your stuff here?...she asked...

Please...he smiled again...I have a business to keep afloat...My stuff would sink us in ten minutes...

"Though there was this one time in LA...I read my stuff...And they didn't hoot me out of the place...It was just before..."

Yeah...she nodded...

"I read them...Your poem, Cicely..." he eyed her...She stared at him...

"Willow called..." he nodded... "Told me what you'd found in the Council archives...She was sure you were coming..."

A few years too late but...

"Of course, I think I'd always known it was you...Too many coincidences in our relations..."

"I didn't know til then...I swear William..." she put a hand out to him...Which he stared at coolly a moment...She pulling it back with a sigh...

"You were Slayer then too, right?...And I was right, the memories I mean...You and I did have more going on then than that one bad poetry session..."

"I...I've only started to piece it together...Willow helped me...I think we were lovers then..."

"And then that night you broke me and sent me away...Why?...To save little me from the baddies...?"

I don't know...Something like that I think...she looked at her watch, then a row of books...

But I know...We were in love then...I was in love then...And...

"Star-crossed..." he grinned... "Well, it was a long time ago, Cics..."

"You don't think I meant it...?"

"1880?...Or 2004?...You gotta be more specific, girl..."

"Both..."

"I want to believe you did...For the moment..."

"It was more than a moment...Both times..."

Hmmn...Well...Great...he nodded...Thanks...

"You don't believe..."

"I just said I wanted to...But if you want me to say...I forgive you...Fine..."

It's all past and done...Water under the bridge...Your books are clear...

"Your kick in the ass got me the soul back, you saved me from the First...We're ok..."

No apologies required...

"You said you were angry..."

Yeah...Well...I would've liked to have seen your face staring at me when I reappeared in Angel's office...Big improvement over what I did see...

"And to see you at the last round-up...Probably would've made Angel's day too..."

I wanted to come and see you...she tried...But...

I understand...he nodded...

"Don't say I like it...But I understand...And I didn't take my move..."

And if...she paused... If I had meant it...

Enough...he put a hand... "Don't..."

Will?...she stared at him...

"I can bear many things, even as a weak little human boy again...But not that...Don't Buffy..."

"You don't want to believe me..."

"I don't want to go through this again...I'm a good man, Ms. Summers...I don't have to suffer like this...I don't deserve it..."

It took a long time for me to realize that...I don't deserve to suffer like that...he eyed her coldly...Whatever my demon did...

And I won't...

"Even if..."

"You come here, now...What happened, girl, bad break-up with your latest?...Oh, right...The Cicely thing...Well, can the guilts...I said you were free and clear..."

"I should have come...I know I should have...But Spike, you could have...I..."

"My name is William...Spike is in Hell...Both the place where the demons dwell and within my own subconscious...If you want him...As I said, you're way..." he paused, seeing the tears...

"Don't do this to yourself...and me, Buf...Leave it be, let it rest..."

"I love you..."

"Fine, your usual refusal to listen to a word I say...Ok, you started it...Why?..."

She blinked... "Because I had to come and..." No...he shook his head...

Why do you love me?...If you do...

"I dunno..." she eyed him...He grinning in spite of himself...As she smiled...Well...The right answer, he nodded... "I would say the same thing..."

"If you still loved me..." she finished... "But..."

No...He looked her in the eye... "I will always love you...I can't help that...But..." he paused...

"I can make it better..." she tried... "I can..."

"Really?...Well, Buffy...You were always the tough love type...In 1880, you cut me to pieces to 'save' me...In 2003 and 4 it was... 'show me you have a soul'...And leaving me to find my way alone...Without ..."

I needed your love Buf...I didn't get it...Not that I deserved it...But...Who deserves the love they get?...And then, when I returned...

"I...I had to get through things...I thought you were better off...But later I did...I did, William..."

Yes...he nodded...You did save me from the First and gave me a chance to be a hero...And...

"If you'd only believed me..."

"I said I did...But it didn't bring us together...And you can't deny part of why you kept away, after you knew about me...Was because you weren't anxious to have me remind you of it..."

"It was the other way round..." she looked at him... "I thought, back then and just after, when I said it...That it was a kind lie...Or rather, that I felt it but not what you really wanted..."

It wasn't till later...As time went on...I realized...she rubbed her forehead...

"I wasn't being kind..."

He sighed...Then frowned...

"Well...fine...You say you love me...Prove it..."

She blinked at him...

"You made me prove it...Angel and poor ole Riley too...So now's your turn, girl...I've chased you a century...Now, if you really care, you chase me...You prove it to me..."

Then...We'll talk...He eyed her firmly...

"How..." she stared... "What do I hafta do?..."

You'll find a way...You always do, right?...he noted...

He didn't believe it...At Sunnydale...Or the other day...she noted...The dark, handsome man next to her at the bar listening carefully, scanning her face cautiously...

But then...she nodded... I'd done nothing to prove it...To earn it...As he did...

"Less you count reincarnation...But that could be coincidence...At least to his way of thinkin'..."

But, now...

"If you'll help me..." she eyed the man...

"How do I know this is on the level, Slayer...You want me to transform you?...How will that..."

He'll come after me...Save me...He will, I know him...

"If it takes him all his life, he'll find my demon, and save me..."

"If he's a mere human now...And you're already the greatest Slayer...He might not be up to the job..." the vampire beside her noted...

Clearly too sensible a fellow to jump at the first offer made to him...

"Don't matter...If he fails...If my demon kills him...We'll be together in Heaven...And our demons together on Earth...And he'll know, at last..."

"Well, much as I'd like to help you, of course, Slayer...I find your offer hard to accept...You do know you'd probably kill everyone you cared about..."

If my friends can't defend themselves by now...she noted...Then whenever I do die, they're dead anyhow...And being willing to put them all at risk...For his sake...Is part of how I prove it to him...

"Either help me...And win bragging rights for the rest of your existence as the vamp who took Buffy Summers down...Or dust right now...And let me try the next guy..." she eyed him...

Well, I am a fool for love...the vamp noted...Offering an arm as he rose...

"Immortal Beloved..." XXXI...

Summary: Ok, ok...But this was a special request by a fan of both mine and...(well, read the thing)

Rome...The doorway of Buffy's apartment...Just moments after William and Angel took their farewell of Andrew in the Angel episode "Girl in Question..."

"Andy?..." Dawn stared at Andrew in his tux, the two lovely young Slayers smiling beside him...

Claire, Ramona...she nodded...Hey, Dawn...

"Heading out the garden just now?...Was that who I thought it was?..."

"Angel and Spike...Yeah..." he nodded... "They came to..."

"What the hell did you let them go for?...Buffy's due back in a few..." her eyes narrowed...

Andrew...What did you say to them?...

Ummn...he gulped...Well...

"You guys and Mr. Giles all said..." he tried...She whacked him...You twerp!...

"Ok..." she calmed... "I know what we all said...But you know...Andy!..." she fumed again...

Claire politely interrupting... Ummn... "Guys...We'd really like to finish our training...Tonight...I gotta be on a plane home tomorrow, you know...My husband and little girl are going outta of their skulls over all the time this 'internship' is takin'..." Yeah...Ramona nodded... "My boyfriend's going nuts..."

"Just a min...And Mr. Bond here is all yours..." Dawn sourly frowned...

Andy...Now what did you tell William?...About...You know who?

"Well...Just that...She's been very hap..."

Andrew!...

"But...She has..." A hard glare...

C'mon, Dawn...he sighed... I owed him...Big time...And the man is my friend...

A café two blocks away...

"I still can't get over...How you managed..." Buffy began...Smiling at THE one and only, Immortal...Perhaps not quite the impressive figure his buildup had suggested...

At least, not in his current existence...

"I don't know the details myself, Buffy..." he smiled a wan grin... "I only know somehow I found myself wandering around I-87, covered with dirt and not exactly fully stocked with blood..."

Thank anemia and that ole Vasoconstrictive reaction, he chuckled...

"Not to mention Principle Wood's blanket, keeping me somewhat warm before he dumped me in that hole...Though I did manage to be dead just long enough for the First to use my form...Poor Andy..."

"He needed to face you...And deserved it...But he has done well since...And nobody was happier to see you than him..."

Yeah...he smiled faintly...Thought he was gonna have a heart attack when I knocked on your door that evening...

"We all nearly had a heart attack that night..." Buffy grinned...

Only wish I could've recovered my memory and gotten out of the hospital in time to help you guys out back last May...he sighed...

"We made out ok..." she nodded... Yeah...he eyed her a bit sternly...

"And when are you gonna call him...?"

"You're that anxious for competition?..." she dodged...Looking a bit sheepish... "And he coulda called, written, come here..."

"He's scared Buffy...He's afraid...As I sure would be...That you're gonna take it back..."

"Well..." she sighed... "Maybe you're right...But...He always knew how I felt...I care, but..."

"I think...You care a lot more than you want to know..." he leaned back...

Hey?...She stared, a slight frown... "You're supposed to be fighting for your own here, you know...You tryin' to back off?..."

"I just know what he's probably going through...I've been there...Especially since taking this last form..." Jonathan shook his head... "And you're still not certain one way or the other, admit it..."

"I cared for him...Sure...But we never quite ever got started...Really, I mean..."

Uh-huh...he eyed her...Well...she looked away...

"Call him...Write him...Find out how he's doing, Buf...You'll never be able to forgive yourself in the long run if you don't...And frankly, I wanta know where things are gonna go before we take this further..."

"If I promise to, will you tell me something?..."

Course...he nodded...

"Why...Jonathan?..." she eyed him... "I mean..." she added hastily... "I want you to stay Jonathan, I'm not complaining...Just...?"A wry grin...

"Buf, I'd lived...Or existed is a better way to put it...For hundreds of years...As a paragon...At least of Evil...Till I found a chance for redemption...But even after that, I lived as The Immortal...Humans, demons, vamps looking up to me, always the hero, the strong one, the perfect one..."

Though I'd been anything but perfect in my initial human existence...My current state as Jonathan is actually not all that far off...Though back then I did have a lot of advantages...A dukedom, enormous wealth and temporal power, access to all kinds of magics and forbidden knowledge...

"I had to have a chance to live again as an ordinary human man...Even a somewhat limited man...A bit downtrodden, not exactly a prime physical specimen...A bit of an outcast...And see what real life is like for the average guy...Minus all the pluses I was blessed...Or cursed with, if you consider my origins and what eventual path I trod for a time...By chance and fortune, not by my earning..."

To be reborn as Jonathan Levinson...And try to find my way in the world...Try and see what would become of me without my gifts...Was the ultimate challenge, the ultimate chance for total redemption...And I nearly failed, lets be frank...Even grabbing at something of my old power and status via magics that time back in Sunnydale...And then with Andy and Warren...

"And I might still fail..." he smiled... As my time as Jonathan ain't over yet...Even if my temp death revived my ole memories prematurely...And I've somewhat resumed my ole role...

"But I hope, I've managed it reasonably well in the end...For a little lumpen geek...And if I can see it through, in this state...Ending my current path this time as a good man...Perhaps, I've finally, truly cleansed myself...As William and Angel did..."

Course this could be another spell...he grinned...And shame on you for not having Willow check it out right away...

"Well, she did, in the end...After she found out about you..."

Yeah...And thank goodness she did and cleared me...Else I'm sure Giles and Xander, let alone Spike and Angel, would've croaked me...

"When are you gonna learn to carry a little magics protection on you, Slayer?..."

She shrugged...Guess I should...

"But I knew it wasn't magics...The moment you walked in that door...Umbrella man..." she smiled...

Then stared at him...Jonathan...

"I have been very happy with you these past few..."

Thank you...he smiled...From both my Immortal side and my Jonathan...

"But Buffy...I share one thing with William...I won't settle for being your fill-in guy...I want you to see him, give him his chance, and make a decision...I don't want you simply by default..."

'The Immortal'...he shrugged, grinning again...Can't allow his rep to suffer like that...

"Though, to be honest...If I wasn't afraid William's ghost would dog us forever under those circumstances...Like Joyce's Michael Furey...I might go for it regardless...But I won't wake up one night ten years from now to find you sobbing over the one you truly loved..."

She looked away...

"Of course..." he smiled as she looked back at him... "Once he's had his fair chance, all gloves come off and I will use every benefit of being the Immortal...Including that 3000 acre estate in Gascony you liked so much... To make my case...I just insist on a level playing field..."

She shook her head...Jonathan...Tears welling a bit...

"And if...I...If he's...Really..."

"Then we'll always have Sunnydale High...Miss Class Protector..." She laughed a bit...Pulling out her surprise...

"So you kept it all this time..." he smiled...

"Well...I don't get a reward like this every day..." she grinned...Opening the umbrella...

A cry and sound from down the street...As if someone were being dragged under protest to a meeting he did not wish to attend...

"Buffy!..." Dawn's voice...They looked to see Andrew in the grip of his two Slayer trainees, decked out for their night's Patrol among Rome's glitziest watering holes, Dawn leading them...

Andy?...Jonathan stared...

"I can explain..." Andrew began as he was brought forward...

"So..." Buffy's voice was icy... "The little blonde coward couldn't face me...Wouldn't wait five minutes...Believed right away I'd dumped him for..."

Ummn...She looked at Jonathan...Ummn...

"Jon...I don't mean..." "I understand, Buf...And I'm not leaving the field just yet..." he grinned, nodding...

Oh, well...he sighed inwardly...

"But what do you want to..." he began...

More noise from down the street...The demon butler who'd stolen the capo from Spike and Angel appeared, dragged by several very large, very well-dressed men...

"Sir..." One called to Jonathan as the group stared at the new arrivals... "We have recovered the item..." he presented a bag...

Ummn...The demon butler stared at the famed Immortal...Hmmn...Little shorter and rather less incredibly handsome than his book jacket photo would have suggested...

"Uh...Signore...I wish to apologize...I had no idea that the Immortal was interested in this little matter...Had I but known..."

Right...Jonathan waved... "Just take your money and leave the capo alone...From now on, all right?..."

"Si, si...And may I uh say...Your latest book was...Life-altering..." the butler backed away, bowing...Clutching his sack of cash... "I've read it twice through already...!"

Well...Jonathan turned to the still fuming Buffy... "We got their capo back...We'd best get it to LA asap..."

I guess you'll be wanting to deliver it personally?...he eyed her...

"Oh, no..." she glared at the sack... "I think William should stew in his own juice a bit longer..."

"Buffy..." Dawn shook her head... "He had no way to know..."

"He should have..." she said quietly... "He never calls, never writes...Leaves me to think...God..."

All right, then... "Jonathan...take a note..."

Dawn sighed as Buffy handed the capo to one of the Immortal's minions...All of whom had faithfully waited out the years till their Lord should complete his latest life journey and memory returned, resume his proper place with them...Another step in his final redemption complete...

"This is so ridiculous, Buffy...Just take it to LA..."

A hard look...She rolled her eyes...Geesh...This is gonna go on for...

"I have to go to LA in two weeks anyway, if the Council's psychics are right and the Senior Partners are gonna try their thing then..." Buffy shrugged...

William may as well let his weak-knees tremble a lil' longer...Damn him...She stalked off towards their apartment...Dawn eyeing Andy and Jonathan with a resigned expression...What you gonna do?...And a sympathetic look to Jon...Who nodded back...Thanks...

"Well..." Andrew looked at his old and rather full of surprises, at least recently, friend...

"Andy..." Jonathan the Immortal frowned at him...Then grinned... "Thanks for trying...I know you meant well..."

"No problemo, mio compadre...And thanks again for the papal absolution..." Andy nodded...

Buffy running back, a distressed look... "They left, right?..." Jonathan gave her a kind, rather resigned look...Fraid so...

"They had to get it to LA asap, Buf..." Yeah...she sighed...Well, she shrugged... He deserves it after all he's been puttin' me through...

"I gotta go to India tomorrow anyway..." she sighed... "Slayer training in New Delhi..."

"Your guys do agree with Giles' people about the LA thing, right?..." she looked at Jonathan...

Yeah...Potential apocalypse in two weeks...he nodded...

"He'll really be pleased to see you come riding in..." he smiled at her... "Just in the nick..."

Aw, Jon...she sighed...

"Immortal Beloved XXXII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, another one...Can't resist it...

The ruins of Wolfram-Hart, LA, two weeks after the events of "Girl in Question" on Angel...A battered Illyria is seen stumbling through the debris...

Carrying an even more battered, and though somewhat embarrassed, rather pleased William and Angel under each arm...And dragging Charlie Gunn behind as he lays flat on a pallet she pulls via a rope between her teeth...

She halts, exhausted...Gasping from the pain of her multiple injuries...But pausing to gently set the boys...Her boys...Down...She beams at them...A very Winifred beam...

"Well, fellas...We've won..." she smiles... A wave of Illyria comes over her and she is a bit more stern... "You managed to perform within barely mediocre standards...Victory is mine..."

Ours, sorry guys...she corrected, a Fred tone coming back...Hmmn...she sighs...

"That energy pulse the Partners tried on me seems to have kinda pulled up more of Fred from within...I'm not hurting you guys with this?..."

No, not at all...William assures her...

"You prefer her to me, I see..." Illyria frowns but waves it off... "I understand...I wanted to be her...For Wes...Wesley...I wished..." she sobs a little...Surprising them, although her behavior has been more variable than ever since Wes' death...

Gunn's groans force them to take action, Angel calling for medical help...He and William managing to find some supplies...

Much to their surprise again, Illyria displays Fredian knowledge of the supplies and with kind murmurs and gentle pats gets Gunn settled as well as possible until the ambulance arrives...

Angel placing calls to determine the situation of his staff...Quite a few declare their continuing loyalty...Though Will is quick to point out they're mostly interested in that steady paycheck and will vamoose as soon as they learn the W-H well is now dry...

Illyria turns back to the boys as the ambulance leaves...

"But maybe...You think guys?...Maybe he is with me...Ummn, her...In Heaven..."

"They said no soul is ever destroyed in Eternity..." Angel smiles... "Whatever may be its fate here on Earth..."

"Fred's with him..." William nods...

Illyria...he eyes her... She looking back calmly...

"Thanks...You saved us all..."

"Of course..." a curt reply...but...then a questioning look... "Would...He be pleased?..."

Yes...The boys nod in unison...Wes would be very pleased...

"And...It is something I...Ummn..." she waves a hand... "She would have done?..."

"Without doubt..." William nods... "And did...Though usually with a lot of blinking gadgets and dodads..."

Tell me...he looks at her carefully... "You're more Fred than ever now...?"

"I...Feel...More of her fragments within me..." she sighs... "Guys...I hope this isn't too painful for you..."

"So that's why?...You were able to win..." Will continues, clearly anxious to get a point right in his mind... "Love and Good triumphed for us..."

"I dunno..." Illyria murmurs, looking back at the battle scene... "If they'd used a multi-phasic shock wave in their last attack...And retained energy for defense, instead of..." she sees Will's clouded face...Angel eyeing her...

Our romantic...His slight smile saying...

"Yes, Will..." she corrects... "You're right...Love and Good did win out...As it always will..." she nods brightly...

But I'm causing you pain...I should...she begins...

"It's joy to have any of you back, Winifred..." Angel smiles...

Seconded...William nods...

"Well..." Angel surveys the rubble of his destroyed HQ... "So much for my wheeler-dealer days...Well, you must be tickled pink, Spike..."

Absolutely...Will grins...

"Looks like a lot of the fellas want to stay on your team, Angel..." Illyria notes encouragingly...

Your leadership was nearly adequate...she finishes...

"But now...I gotta say...Goodbye..." she eyes them...

They look at each other...No...She puts up a hand...I'm not heading off to conquer the world...

"Too much of Fred back..." she smiles... But that's the problem...

"I'd hoped to find a place here...With you...With Wesley...Find my place in this confusing, strange world...And for a while, I did...I did..." she nods to William...He looking anxiously at her...Then at Angel...Not really letting her go, are you?...his face clearly saying...

"But now...With so much of Winifred back in me...I see I have to find out who I am...And where Fred really is...Go back to my...er her...Roots...Cause if she is with Wes...Out there somewhere...I don't want to be the cause of pulling her away from him..."

And if she is gone...Forever...Except for what lives on in me...I want to bring more of her out...And see if maybe...In the final analysis...she looked at them...

"And my parents will need me...Til they pass on..." she noted...There's a lot of good I can do back ...Home..." she gave a wan smile...

"If you guys don't mind my playing Fred a bit more...I might, someday...Maybe...Become the role..."

"We need you here, girl...Angel, you bloody poof!...Tell her..." Will fumed...

A sound from up the street...Hey, guys!...

Buffy?...The boys stare at her...

"I was on my way to meet His Benevolence in Japan and had a few days...Thought I'd look up the old haunts and see how..."

Whoa...She looked round...

"Guess Giles was right about that apocalypse thingy...Well, I tole him you two could handle it..."

Who's the blue fairy...she eyes Illyria...Who glares at her...

"You caused William pain..." she notes quietly...

Gee...Will beams...At last...Someone who gives a damn...And only natural it would be at least in part dear ole Fred...

Though...He sighs...She's leaving and loves someone else...Why does that sound familiar?...

Ummn...Buffy stares, frowning a bit at her accuser... "I only hit him a few...(Dozen, Will thinks) times..."

"I mean emotional pain, Buffy..." Illyria gives a very Fredish sigh...

"Where've you been, Slayer?...His sufferings have been intense and terrible..."

"Where's he been?...And who the hell are you, anyway?..." Buffy glares...Angel making hasty explanation...

Oh...Right...The Burky... (Burkle...Illyria coldly corrects) thing...

"Real sorry Giles gave you a hard time then, Angel...But hey, she looks...Ok..." Buffy nods brightly...

"Ms. Burkle's body was absorbed and her soul consumed in Illyria's rebirth, Buffy..." Angel frowns a bit...

Oh...Well hey, has she been resurrected twice?...

"This is my fifth regeneration cycle..." Illyria frowns... "But I'm sure Winifred would listen patiently to your boastful tales of your struggles, Slayer..."

And William must be so happy to have you here...she beams at him, then her...Buffy blinking...Huh?...

"Bipolar personality shift and some other things..." Angel explains... "I'll tell you about it in detail later..."

Great...Buffy nods... "So, William...You free this evening?...I got a couple days before hooking up with the Immortal..."

Theme from the movie... "Shane" plays as Illyria gently nods to the boys and heads off...Walking away from the sunset...(Hey, she's not a swimmer)...

"Well, that's that...Come on William...You can take me somewhere nice...The Immortal won't mind..." Buffy notes, contentedly watching Illyria head off...William ignoring her, and running after Illyria, as the Slayer stares after..

William?...

"Come back Illyria!...Illyria, come back!..."

Hey...Buffy grouses to Angel, likewise sighing after their vanishing heroine...

"Is there something between them?...Have they been, you know?...My observer agents said Will only did it the one time with Harmony for test purposes..."

Which I could let pass...Given that the Immortal and I...

Nah...Angel shook his head... "It's just that Winifred was the woman William's been looking for all his existence...Utter compassion, stout-heart, courage to move mountains despite her lack of superstrength...And Illyria still has lots of Fred in her..."

Geesh...Buffy frowned, looking where Will was sadly watching Illyria disappear down the road...

"I got loads of compassion...When things aren't too busy...Hey, Will!..."

P"How's about dinner, William?..." Buffy pulled at his arm as he sighed after Illyria's wake...Hmmn?...He eyed her...

"Some other time, Miss Summers...I have some writing to do tonight...A poetic tribute to the courageous woman who, ever since I met her, was always there for me..."

Aw, Will...she beamed...

"I said... 'Always there' Buffy..."

"I was there...Some of the time..." she stared at him...William?...

"How's the Immortal?..."

"Eh...Sexually Godlike to start...Then he kinda runs out of tricks...But a nice guy for a soulless type..."

"Great, then you're happy as Andy said...See ya at the next Apocalypse...Well, maybe the one after that..." he turned back...

Angel coming up to them...

Aw, Will...she frowned, pulling again...C'mon...You never called...And...

"My cookies weren't baked yet..."

"Think Illyria would mind if I commissioned a Fred-bot to be my loving companion throughout my lonely Eternity?..." Will turned to his partner...

"Nah...She left design plans in my pocket PC for both of us..." Angel smiled...Pulling out his computer... "Though if she still has Immortality left to her, I claim first dibs on dating the real thing if she ever starts looking round..."

"No way!..." Will frowned...

Hey?...Buffy stared...Guys?...Will?...

"Well...The note she attached to the bot design files said she wouldn't consider anyone else til giving us each a chance...If Wes' spirit ever persuades her to forget him and seek out love again..."

"Which you know as I do..." Angel sighed... "Is unlikely...Given Fred's propensity for undying love..."

"What a woman..." the boys sighed, nodding to each other...

William?...Buffy fumed...

William and Angel, arms spread:

"Il...Ly...Ria...We...Love you..."

Will:

"You're the one...The one for me..."

(Guys?...Buffy stares as the boys continue their musical tribute to the woman of their dreams...)

Angel:

"I'm in love ...and I won't lie

She's my girl and always on my mind.

She gives me her love and a feeling that's right...

Never let me down

'specially at night..."

(Why am I not surprised?...Buffy grouses darkly, sitting in sulk mode)

Will:

"So I'm gonna do the best I can

To please that girl and be her only man.

(Hey!...Buffy glares)

She picks me up when I'm feeling low

(I could do that...easy...Buffy notes)

And that's why baby

I've got to let you know..."

The boys in chorus:

"Il...Ly...Ria...

We... love you

You're the one...the one for me

ah

baby.

She's the one...the one for me..."

William:

"She's the kind of girl who makes you feel nice.

(But I made you feel like a man...? Buffy stares sadly...)

So

I try my best to do what's right..."

(He used to that for me...the crestfallen Slayer sighs)

The boys together:

"And take her for a ride - ev'rything's fine.

Illyria

We love you

you're the one for me

ah

baby..."

William:

"Search so far

search so long

To find someone

someone to count on.

(Ummn...Well...Buffy blinks...I could do better next time, Will...She calls)

Now I feel I got it right here

Found it in you

baby, you my dear.

(Dear?...Buffy stares...She's Dear?...)

We can do all life so nice

We'll have it all

and ev'rything will be alright!

(The picket fence thing really didn't sound so bad, Will...Buffy tries...)

I'm promising you

take it from me

take it on

baby..."

The boys together again:

"Take it on

baby. - Oh

she's the one

the one for me.

She's the kind of girl who makes you feel nice.

(Guys...? Buffy weakly)

So I try my best

to do what's right

Take her for a ride

ev'rything's fine.

Ooh

Illyria

ooh

Illyria -

Illyria

I love you

you're the one

the one for me.

Illyria..."

(I don't have to be in Japan all that soon, Will...Buffy notes hopefully as he and Angel turn to her...

And I look good in blue, ya know...)

No More Singing!...

"Immortal Beloved XXXIII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, another one...Swear it's the last in the series...Can't resist it...Aftermath of "Not Fade Away..." (Oh, will the madness never end?)

LA...The ruins of the Wolfram-Hart building...Last Wednesday evening...

"William...You really are determined to make me cry before you forgive me, aren't you...?" Buffy sighed...Kneeling by him...

Angel, standing by...Watching with Illyria...

You're here...Oh...William closed his eyes... I thought...

"I oughta whale you one good...Never coming to me...Even when you finally got to Rome...Though it was Harmony who blocked my calls and letters...So..." she wiped tears back... "You're off the hook for not calling back...My William..."

"I'm here, Will...Here for you...I'd never leave you alone like that...You know I meant what I said that day..."

And I'll be with you always...When I join you in Heaven...

"I would have come sooner...But I was afraid...And after I found out...Who I'd been..."

I thought you'd surely hate me one way or the other...I was so afraid to face you...Till yesterday...When I followed you to that poetry slam...Hid in the crowd...

"And heard you forgive me...Oh, William..."

"It was you, wasn't it?..." he murmured... "Cicely..."

Yes...she nodded... "Cicely was a Slayer...She did love you, Will...Was only trying to save you...And she did return...I'm back as Buffy...To save you...I've dreamed of it for so long, like you dreamed of saving me...It just took so long, it was so hard to remember...It wasn't til I found the records in the old Council archives..."

My love...she whispered...I'm here...

He stared at her a long moment... "Thank you..." he murmured...And dying, crumbled to dust...

She looked up at the others, a strange look on her face...Part sorrow, part malice...But, Angel realized...All grief...

"Looks like I wasted my time...He knew, I think..." the First coldly stated...But with a tone that...Strangely...

Was something like despair...

"He was comforted, regardless..." Illyria noted... "And he will think kindly of you..."

As Wesley will of me...I hope...

"It amused me to think of Buffy learning about this years from now...Though if I retain any of the power my foolish allies, the Partners, lent me, I'll let her know myself, tonight..."

That's the reason I went along, Angelus...she glared at Angel...After all, you can't really harm me, even if you can force me back down into Hell...

Illyria stared at her... "You are lying...You loved him...I feel your essence grieving even now...Part of you was the Buffy Slayer..."

"The Watchers made me a part of their Slayer centuries ago...When they stole part of my strength for her...But I...Am strong...I feel..."

She looked at the ashes...A slight trembling over her features...The others watching, silent...

"He was so loving..." Her form beginning to flicker and fade...Her projective energy now clearly failing...

Odd, isn't it...she gave a last sardonic look to Angel...A wave at Illyria...

"We...The 'monsters'...Were the ones who were there for them..." she faded out...

"Immortal Beloved XXXIV..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, another one...Swear it's the last in the series...Can't resist it...Aftermath of "Not Fade Away..." (Oh, will the madness never end?)

London...Offices of the New Slayer-Watcher Council...Day after the battle at Wolfram-Hart, LA...

A long line stretched down the hall from the door labeled in large letters on the glass..."Office of the Slayer-Councilor General..."

"Buffy Summers..." in smaller print below...

Inside, Buffy sighed at the red-haired woman facing her across her desk...Whose face was set and determined...

"Willow?...You can't do this...Not now..."

"Doin' it, Slayer...It's done..." Willow eyed her friend coolly... "Yesterday was the last straw..."

"Wil...I explained it to you...Giles too...We couldn't risk..."

"Helpin' our friends?...Your ex-lovers?..." Willow stared... "The guy whom you told you loved..."

"Giles and the Council felt..."

Goddamn Giles...And Goddamn his Council... the wiccan replied coldly... "I didn't sign up here...Though in fact I never did sign up here...To turn my back on friends..."

There was a time you wouldn't have done that either, Buffy...she stared at the face across the desk...You'd've killed Giles if he tried to stop you from saving people you loved...

"But now...You've become a model Slayer...Only the mission matters, right?...Well, I got news for you, Buffy the Law...The model Slayer croaks damn fast when she has no friends around to restart her heart or channel energy from the First Slayer or resurrect her...Or wear the amulet she should have worn but let her lover take..."

Buffy blanched a second, then glared, but let it pass...The situation was getting critical...She looked out at the line of rather angry and rebellious Slayers...And dropped her voice as low as possible...

"Willow, fifty Slayers have already quit on us...If you go, hundreds of them might follow..."

"They all have your memories of William, Buf...They don't like the way you treated him and they oughta know...God...Buffy...The man got you through that horrible year, loving you to blazes and fighting with us without a soul...He won that soul back for love of you, died saving us, and after he somehow found his way back...No thanks to us, mind you...Had his hands cut off trying to help our dear psycho Dana...And you couldn't even be bothered to pick up a phone and call him in the hospital?..."

I see what you've become Slayer...And I don't wanna go that way...Not again, thanks...

"I quit..." Willow said solemnly... "If you ever need me for emergency world-saving, call me...I'll be in LA with Angel and Walthrop Associates..."

Willow...Buffy sighed, watching her leave...Hand to her head...

A knock at the door...Yes?...

Dawn entered, looking rather glum...And...Solemn...

Dawn?...Buffy stared...

"Buffy...I'm really sorry to do this to you...But..." she began...

"Immortal Beloved XXXV..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to this week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Swear it's the last in the series...Maybe...

LA...Early morning...Shortly after the defeat of the Senior Partners...

"Well...So much for the Senior Partners..." Angel eyed the blasted remains of the Hell portal through which the now-deceased S Ps and their hordes had poured...

"Piece...A...Cake..." William gasped...Staggering...But noting Illyria watching him, struggled to his feet...Looking hopefully down the alley once more as Illyria looked at Angel...Who shrugged and sighed...He's still waiting for her, poor fellow...

"Lets get Gunn to an ambulance...And then..." Angel pulled out a cell phone... "There's just one more enemy to deal with...The biggest of them all..."

Oh, Lord...Will gasped within... "Right..." he confidently noted...Trying to stay on his feet... "Could use a bit more of the rough and tumble...And Buf'll probably be along any mo to help out..." An anxious look to the others...She will, right?...

Ummn...Yeah...Sure...Angel nodded patiently to him...While giving the emergency operator directions...Illyria tending the badly wounded Charlie...Shaking her head at Angel as she stared at the hopefully-looking Will...

"They're on their way..." Angel closed his phone... "Now...As to our final battle...Now that we know who our true foe is..."

"The Great One itself...?" Illyria asked, rising from her spot by Gunn's pallet... "I am ready..."

"I'm in..." Will noted, raising a hand...Though wobbling a bit...

"Always had a hankering for frog legs...Immortal variety..." he grinned...

The lair of the Immortal...WB corporate headquarters...

"Angel, Spike, and Illyria are on their way, sir!..." a trembling staffer anxiously ran into the office of the Immortal...A huge green frog in top hat, reclining in a large chair... "They've defeated our last allies, the Senior Partners!...What should we do?..."

"Honey?..." Buffy, sitting across the desk, stared at the Frog... "You worked with the Senior Partners?...How could you?...And why are the guys mad at you?...Did you go ahead and cancel...?"

Ummn...The Frog looked away from his latest...

"You said you wouldn't...Honey!..." she glared... "No wonder they're furious..."

Say...she eyed him...Does this mean our deal's off?...

"Not at all Buffy...You're back on with us next season...And you get to be your own Fate Writer just as we agreed...Directing and producing your own fate..."

If I survive...the Frog looked up at the ceiling...

"Sir!..." Another flunky entered... "They're penetrated the grounds...We gotta do something!..."

Buffy?...the Immortal Frog eyed her...She shook her head...Sorry...Can't fight my boyfriends, even for a sweet deal like this...

"Especially when William's my romantic lead..." she noted... "We are still ok on my idea for having the First temporarily possess me and turn me evil next season, right?...Then, with Will, my love discovering my dark side and helping me fight it back...?"

Ummn...The Frog eyed a grimacing staff writer who rolled his eyes...

"Certainly, darling...(Gree-deep...he gasped...Sorry, sweetie, my nature...No prob...Buffy shook her head...)...It's...A brilliant concept..."

Great...she beamed... "But then you see that I can't fight the guys..."

"Well, then..." the Immortal One sighed... "Only one thing to do..." the Frog grabbed his cane, lifted his hat...And danced for the emergency exit...Singing as Buffy stared, watching...Honey?...You're leaving me alone to be found here by my ex-s in their enemy's HQ...?

"Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal...Send me a kiss by wire...Baby, my heart's on fire...If you refuse me, baby you lose me...Then you'll be all alone..."

Oh, baby telephone...And tell me I'm...Your...Own...! he hopped through the door...

So...Ummn...Honey?...Buffy eyed William as he and Angel sat facing her...Illyria standing with arms folded, a grim expression...

"You do believe me about my coming here to help, right?...I was only leading the Frog on, you understand?..."

"I know, love..." he nodded...A careful look to Angel and Illyria...Hey, green legs is history, right?...And she wasn't here to fight us...

"Anyway..." the Slayer relaxed as the boys lowered their previous grim expressions... "Now that you and Angel are running WB, I gotta tell ya about this great idea I have for next season..."

(Ok, yes there are moer...Like about 138 and counting...And increasingly weirder but it's midnight and I have to be up at 4am...)


	2. Chapter 2

"Immortal Beloved XXXVI..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to the last week...Flee at once!...

Summary: Aw, just one more...Can't resist it...

LA...William's new basement apartment...About one week after the defeat of the Wolfram-Hart Senior Partners...

Will in his most comfy new chair staring for a moment at a resigned Dawn sitting across from him...Then returning to the happily beaming, fervently kissing Buffy in his lap...Ummn...

"Is anything wrong, William?..." she stopped momentarily to stare at his perturbed face anxiously...

Shall I stop?...A crestfallen look...She turned to Dawn... "Dawn?...Am I doing it right?..."

Just fine, Buffy...Dawn sighed...

"Yeah...Fine...But Botty...Er...Buffy..." William pulled a little from her embrace... "Could we stop for just a bit, girl?...I'd like a few more words with Dawn..."

"Oh...Certainly, Will..." 'Buffy' nodded and releasing him, rose... "Would anyone like tea?...You like tea, right, William?...I can make tea very well...Willow prob...Ummn...Taught me..."

"Fine, dear heart...Tea sounds great...Dawn?..." Sure...Dawn sighed...

Great...

'Buffy' happily went to the kitchenette...

William eyed Dawn... "Look, Nibs..." She shook her head... "I didn't want to do this, Spike..."

"William!..." 'Buffy' called from the kitchenette where she was happily locating cups, saucers, etc...A bit sternly, Will noted to his surprise... "We call him William always now...Buffy said to...Spike was Evil and is gone...William is a hero..."

We call him William always now, Dawn...she repeated...

"Yeah...Sure..." Dawn nodded... Sorry, William...she returned to him...

"Like I tole you...This was Buffy's idea...She felt bad about you being alone..."

"Not bad enough to remedy it herself, I take it..."

"She's with the Immortal now, sorry but that's the way it is...And Giles and the guys would never have let her risk coming to LA with Angel working for Wolfram-Hart..."...Dawn insisted firmly...

Yeah, remind us to thank dear ole Rupert for the faith in us...And the generous help he gave Ms. Burkle...Will glared...

"While you're at it, thank Summers as well..." A crash from the kitchenette...They looked over...

"Dropped a cup... William, I'm so sorry..." 'Buffy' called... "No problem, pet..." he called back...

"Buffy believes in you..." she continued... "She wanted to come..."

"Thanks, dear heart...It's fine..." he called to her... "Always the kind lamb, my Botty..." he smiled briefly at Dawn...

"So...Buffy decided to ease her guilt over the thing in the cavern by sending me a new Botty, eh?...What?...Did you two see 'Stepford Wives' this week or something and Buf had a bolt of inspiration...?"

Actually...Dawn thought, blinking...We did...

"No, Buffy just felt bad for you...After hearing about your coming to Rome for her and the fight in LA...She wanted to do something nice for you..."

"A call or letter would have done quite well..."

"Yes!..." 'Buffy' called from the kitchenette... "Buffy was waiting for you to call or write William...Are you going to, now?...And where is the diet sugar?..."

"No, lamb...Dawn will bear my greetings back...I don't use the stuff it causes cancer in lab rats over the long term...Sugar's on the upper cabinet shelf..."

"Tell Buffy I am sorry I didn't...I just felt..."

"Doesn't matter..." Dawn waved a hand...Giles and Willow wouldn't have let anything reach her from you...

"Look, Sp...Will...Buffy had a hard time getting over you...She was a wreck for a long time...Only the need to train the new Slayers and keep the fight on, kept her going...But she's better now and while I appreciate...We all appreciate...What you did..."

"You'd prefer I not take up with your sis again...Hardly likely in any case, Dawn..." he replied...

Though I do have a soul...Have had it for a good time now...he eyed her... And my record's been rather nice in the past year...

"You were my friend once, even when Spike ran the show...You could cut me a break, Ms. Summers the Younger..."

"You let me down, Spike...That day...I'll never Forg..."

"William!..." 'Buffy' called...Pleasantly but a stern edge... "Don't call him Spike!..."

"I didn't have a soul, Dawn...I'm not excusing my behavior but you did let souled-while-mass-murdering Anya off...And while I know ...Or at least my false memories of you say...You always kept aloof from Angel...You did excuse his little soulless faults..."

"Will is very good now, Dawn..." 'Buffy' called in... "Tea should be ready soon..."

"I expected better from you..." Dawn noted coolly... "I guess I was being a romantic kid but I thought you'd won your heart back for her...I couldn't believe you'd...Even soulless...Let yourself try and do...What you tried to do..."

"What Spike tried to do..." 'Buffy interrupted, entering the living room with tea things on a chopping block...Sorry, no trays...she apologetically noted...Setting the things out with a pleasant beam...Oh...She looked at the table...No napkins...

"What a dunce!..." she merrily slapped her forehead... "I should have Willow open my head up again, right Dawn?..." You're fine Buffy...Dawn hastily replied...

"I'll get them now..." 'Buffy' turned back... "William, I saw cookies...Do you want me to bring them, too?..."

Fine, pet...he nodded...

"Anyway...It's over and done..." Dawn noted... "And I said I...We...Are grateful...And going along with this thing is our way of showing it..."

"But Buffy wants to say she loves you!..." 'Buffy' called... "Not just...The other thing..."

"I understand, girl...Thanks..." Good!...she called again...

"Buffy would've brought her and all...But..." a hesitant pause... "We...Encouraged her not to go...And she was feeling better with the Immortal hanging round and all...So..."

Sounds of contented humming from the kitchenette... "Got the cookies...Oh!..I forgot the cream...Wait a minute..."

"But she does care, William...She cared enough to be the template for this one...Hoping you'd find some contentment at last..." Dawn continued...

"So, she's Buffy the matchmaker now?...Ex-lover vampires a specialty...?"

"And how..." 'Buffy' cried contentedly, emerging with a plate of cookies and a cup filled with cream... "You should write her a thank-you note, William...Or should I?...Say..." she interrupted herself... "Your fridge needs cleaning out...Ok if I do it now?..." she set the cookies and cream down and whirling, headed back before he could tell her to sit...

More sounds of contented humming as she pulled the fridge door and began pulling things out

"Maybe later as to the note..." he replied dryly... "Ok!..." she called...Sounds of water filling a bucket now coming from the kitchenette...

He leaned to Dawn...

"Look...Dawn...Tell your sis...Thanks...But no thanks..." Dawn eyed him..

"It's a gift, William...Accept it in the spirit..." He waved an annoyed hand at her...

"I don't need Buffy Summers' charity...Or yours...Thanks...Tell her thanks for the kick in the groin that got me to Africa and the chance to be her champion...And for letting me hang round those last two years..."

"Look..." Dawn began...

"I'll find my own companions..." A sound of a bucket being hastily set down... 'Buffy' emerged from the kitchenette, hands wet, looking anxious...

"William?...Don't you want me?..." she stared at him, biting a lip...

You aren't back with Drusilla?...Some other vamp?...Souled, maybe?...she asked, a nervous look...

"No, pet...This isn't personal..." he told her kindly... "I just..." he paused and grinned at Dawn...

I have fond memories of your predecessor, Warren's bot...I wouldn't want to hurt her by taking another...

"I hope you understand, love..." he smiled at her...No...she shook her head... "My programming doesn't cover that...William...Please...Buffy wants me to make you happy..."

She came to him...Hands clenched a bit...Dawn staring...

"Let me make you happy...Please, Will..." she pleaded... "I love you..."

I was made to...she noted...Taking his hand...

"Buffy..." Dawn looked at her... "You better go back to the fridge...I'll talk to William...It'll be fine..."

'Buffy' looked back at her a moment...And smiling pleasantly, nodded, and returned to her cleaning...

"Will...I don't want to leave a copy of my sis with you..." Dawn frowned at him... "We did everything we could to stop her from trying anything till she calmed down and..."

"Trying...?" he stared... "Yeah, Will..." 'Buffy' called, interrupting her work... "Buffy tried to use magics to reach you...But Willow stopped her and then they all...Restrained her...When she was gonna go to LA..."

"We did what we thought was right..." Dawn noted firmly... "Buffy was irrational...Talking about letting the next vamp have her to be with you...Out of her head with guilt over letting you die there...Willow and Giles did what they had to to keep her safe...We all agreed it was the right thing to do..."

"What did you do?..." he asked coldly...Rising out of his chair...

"Willow prevented her from using the resurrection spell...And from contacting you by seance...Then, when she threatened us and tried to leave, Giles had Willow tranquillize her...I mean as in provide magical tranquility..."

"You used mind control...On Buffy...Your own sister..."

"It had to be done...And it was only temporary...When she recovered, she understood...Then the Immortal came into the picture...And that...Was that..."

"You seem able to deal with another vamp lover for your sis quite well, Ms. Summers..."

"He's not the staying type..." Dawn noted... "And to be honest, he wasn't...But it was good for Buffy and got her over you...It was the best thing for you, too, William..."

Thanks...he glared...

"She's not Immortal, Will...What would you do when she ages?...Transform her and hope her demon's the sweet type?...Abandon her?..."

"Get out of my apartment...No offense, dear heart..." he turned to 'Buffy' now again emerged from where she'd been hard at it...Her security/defense programs being activated by the tone, she explained... "Please don't fight, guys..." she asked, a slight plea in her voice...

"Please don't William..." she turned to him...Taking a hand...Which she then released...

"Ok..." Dawn waved a hand... "I've done my duty...You don't want our help...Fine...Give my best to Angel...Come on, Buffy...Time to head home..."

'Buffy' looked at William... "But...I want to stay with William...Please..."

William stared at his hand a mo...Hmmn...

"The hell with it...Let her stay..." he told Dawn... "If only to make Buffy's skin crawl every now and then thinking of me with her..."

But you get out...And don't ever come back...he finished coldly...

"I won't...We're even now..." she nodded...And rose...

She paused at the door... "I'm sorry...I wish things had been different...I know I've acted badly, you being souled and all...But...I loved you, Spike...Before Buffy did...And when you turned on her...I was glad...Because I could pretend you were mine again..."

And I can't ever forgive myself...Or you...For that...

"Bye, Dawn..." 'Buffy waved...

She left, closing the door quietly...

"Well?..." he eyed her...Raising his concealed hand to show where her blood from a cut she'd given herself in the kitchenette was smeared...

"Tell me you knew it was me before..." Buffy smiled at him...

"I felt something...But that was a powerful glam you were using..."

Had to be...she nodded, a slight glare... "Those bastards were ready to do anything to hold me there..."

William...she raced to him, embracing him... "You believe me?...You know I tried...They even used magics on me to keep me from you...Let the Immortal get close to me..."

Even Dawn agreed to it...she shook her head...Then covered her face with a hand, sobbing...

"If you knew what I've been going through all these months...And then, having to pretend I didn't care so they wouldn't send me off to lotus-land again...I couldn't even risk slippin' away to help you last week...Couldn't do a thing until my copy was ready and I'd had a crack at her alone..."

Buffy...he patted her...She raised her face to his, a grin through tears... "Wait till the glam I used on Botty II wears thin...But they'll probably prefer her anyway...Giles at least...His model Slayer girl at last..."

"Will?...That thing about Dru?..." she paused... "There's nobody I'll have to kill, right?...Cause I'd hate to hafta make you feel bad but after what I been through I'd have to kill any competition..."

"Immortal Beloved XXXVII..."

A shortie

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Ok, but I got asked...From a suggestion by reader Jeremy Schiff...

LA...New offices of Angel, Burkle, Gunn, and Walthrop...LA's most unique legal/investigative team...Two weeks after the defeat of the Senior Partners...Late night...

"The Slayer never loved you, William...For her, being with you was simply degrading...A memory to be banished as quick as possible..."

He eyed her coolly as she spoke, a hard tone in her voice...Angel in turn eyeing him... "Buffy..." he tried...Quiet...she hissed...Pressing the stake she held against his chest tighter... "I'll tell you when to speak, Angel..."

"I don't quite accept that, girl..." Will replied calmly... "I felt caring there...And when I came back..."

"Simple gratitude...You were owed big time for your helpin' during the depression year...And you were needed to fight...Remember?...It was 'I need Spike'...Not 'I need, I love William'...You're getting a soul, however much you may now appreciate it...If you do...Was a waste of effort from the pov of winning Buffy's love..."

He shook his head... "I remember... 'I'm not ready for you not to be here'..." he began...She waved a hand...Please... "You were needed, as I said...Soldier..."

And lets not forget the feeblest 'I love you' ever mouthed...she grinned coldly...Shifting an arm as Angel gave a slight groan...Quiet, she hissed...

"You didn't come to Rome 'cause you knew it was a lie...Kind enough meant...But a lie...And that you'd be as welcome there as horse manure..."

"I was afraid..." he nodded... "But afraid it would be taken back...I knew by then, for that one brief moment...It was true...And I couldn't bear to give that moment up, let the words be taken..." he hesitated...Not looking at her as she grinned...

"...Taken back..." she finished... "Exactly..."

"And didn't your loving Slayer do her damnest for you?...Staying with you to the end, making Willow resurrect or at least contact your soul by seance...Being right there the moment you materialized at Wolfram-Hart...Yeah..." she chuckled... "What loving support..."

"And even after Andrew spilled his guts...Well, hey..." she waved a hand... "Pity you got your hands cut off, trying to save our dear nutty Dana, but the Slayer had a date...A real looker with cash on hand, a string of nice estates, and all the power necessary to impress a girl from the burbs...No time to bother with some ole souled vampire ex-..."

Soil herself trying to comfort him?...Please...she laughed...A real Cathy, that Slayer of yours, Heathcliff... "You know... 'It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff'...?"

"And Heathcliff loved her...Even after death..." William nodded...

"You were nothing to the Slayer in 2004...Just as you were nothing to her in 1880..." she eyed him as he stared... "Yeah, remember William?... 'You're beneath me, William...'?..."

Yeah...she smiled at his startled face... "I'd've thought you'd gotten it sooner...Cicely was a Slayer...And her memories went to the next Slayers...And Buffy..."

Sorry to tell you, kiddo...You didn't beat those Slayers cause you were better...Or even cause of that 'death wish' thing you mentioned that night in the bar...

"They had Cicely's memories of you...And her shame when she'd learned what happened to you...And failed to find and destroy you after causing your death...Seeing you and holding that memory...Those poor girls couldn't bring themselves to kill you...Just as Buffy couldn't...For a while..."

Till she finally found an excuse and someone to do it for her...

"You were better off with the First, Will...She at least pretended to be nice to you at times..." she grinned...As he looked away, trembling...Cicely?...All these years...

"If they couldn't kill me..." he began... "She must have..."

"Sympathy, William...Don't!..." she snarled at Angel...Who'd attempted a sudden move...She tightened her clutch round his wounded body...The stake in her other hand pressing hard... "And don't move a step, Will...If you don't want your limp-haired bloody stupid partner here to bite the big one..."

She calmed as he made peaceful gestures...No one's gonna try anything, girl...he noted...

"I'm the one the love came from, Will..." she said proudly... "Anything you felt from them came from me...The one who's always loved you...From the moment I saw you through their eyes..."

Well...she gave a sheepish grin as he stared...Almost from the moment...It takes time for a demon to fall in love...

"Anne..." Will addressed her coolly... "What happened in Rome?...How did..."

The Immortal found Buffy's behavior...Unacceptable...she chuckled...

"It seems she still felt a little residual guilt over you...And was going to leave to come here and help you all out...He was a bit...Put out..."

Poor kid...She'd gotten a leetle too used to trusting vamps...And this one knew her modus operandi pretty well...Made sure none of the little Scoobies was in CPR or magics range...Gave her the patented Angelus technique...All the sympathy and compassion in the world "I understand dear Buffy...Naturally you still feel for this William"...Such a gent to tolerate dumpin' so well...But the truth was...

"No one does that to His Benevolence..." she sneered..."But hey, we're even...I took care of him soon as I transformed...Don't worry your sweet blonde head over him..." she smiled pleasantly...

"And now the part of Buffy...And Cicely...Who really loves you, William...Is free...I, Anne, demon of the Slayer..." she took demon-face... "You know..." she reverted as he eyed her carefully...Looking for any opening... "I was gonna kill Dawn and my old gang for the way they treated you...Sorta a present for you...But I realized, with that sweet lil' poet's soul of yours back it'd be much better to use them as hostages...Long with bastard boy here...The one who nearly let you slide into Hell without saying a word to Buffy...To me..." she glared at Angel...Then suddenly, smiled gently at Will...

Sweet guy that you are William...she beamed... "I knew my best chance to get you to come round was to leave em alive...That you'd hear me out if their lives were in danger..."

Not if I stake you, they're not...he noted...She grinned...That's my honey...

"You can try...But the bloody stupid Brooding One will be ashes by the time you reach me...And I will be outta here and on my way to Rome or wherever the Council tries to hide the guys from me before you can say 'William Soames Walthrop'..."

See?...Cicely was in me...she smiled...Then frowned... "Buffy sure as hell never bothered to find out who you were..."

"And if I go with you...You'll let Angel go, spare the others?..." Absobloominglutely...she nodded...

"I won't be Spike again..." he noted... "Even if it means the others die, I can't let that happen..."

"I don't want Spike..." she frowned... "I want you..."

I want the prettiest, sparkliest soul I ever saw...she nodded...The soul that won Cicely and me in 1880...

"Cicely?..." Yeah, she sighed... "Didn't mean to let that slip out..." a frown... "Cicely loved you...But, she was a Slayer...With a mission..."

Sound familiar?...she grinned...

She thought if she drove you away, you'd be safe...Hah!...But, hey I tried to warn her...Stupid fool should've sensed Dru's presence in the area...

"But I'm here...And all of Cicely and Buffy that loved you...Really loved you...Lives in me...Anne..."

He stared at her...C'mon...she shrugged, maintaining a tight hold on Angel... "I'm all that left of them and I promise I won't kill anyone so long as you stay with me...And maybe, in time, you can persuade me to go to Africa for love of you after you convince me you can never love so foul a fiend..."

Though no reason we can't have a little fun in the meantime...After all, all of Buffy's best ideas in the crypt?...All mine she grinned...

Hmmn...He pondered...Angel staring at him from her vise grip...

I suppose...In the interests of saving so many...I could make such a sacrifice...

"I suppose my Buf would want me to do what I could to save the others..."

Oh, yeah...Definitely...Buffy...And Cicely...Are 100% with this...Anne nodded...

"Just wishing they'd thought of it before, actually..."

"Say...Wait a minute..." he glared at her as she stepped out into the sunlight as they stood waiting for a cab at the building entrance...

Oops...Buffy grinned...Looking sheepish...

"Immortal Beloved XXXIX..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: What can I say these things are like candy or Lays...

LA...Offices of the newly established legal/investigative firm of Angel, Burkle, Gunn, and Walthrop...

Remnants of the old Wolfram-Hart staff, hey a paycheck's a paycheck, busily toil at their assignments...Spending perhaps a tad...Well, lots...Less freely than in the old days but grateful to have survived the staggering crash of the Senior Partners...

A still sheepishly apologetic, but at last human-souled...Angel can be damned nasty at all times, William grins to her...Harmony at her new desk, offers William some stacked letters...

"What's...?"

From Rome, she hangs her head... "My other one...It...Didn't want you to get these...And blocked some calls from there, too..."

The Senior Partners via Marcus kinda encouraged it...she sighed...But It wanted to hurt you...

He stared at her...

"I'm sorry...She was Evil, ya know?...You remember Evil, right?..." He sighed...Yeah...Taking the letters...Looking over the familiar handwriting...A dozen letters...

"She kept writing right up to the last week...Will, I'm so sorry..." she shook her head...

No...he shook his head... "I know I treated you badly, Harm...At the very least should've helped you with the souling long before...And I shoulda had the guts to call Rome...Or go...Though..." he eyed the handwritten address...

Was kinda hoping...Well...

"I'm sure Buffy loves you, Will...But in any case...At least..." Harmony began...

Oh...he smiled...So... 'It' read these, eh...?

Well...she meekly shrugged...

"It's all right...What did she...?"

"They're sweet, William...I think you're lucky..." she grinned... "The calls...?" he eyed her... Yeah, all...she nodded...

Well, well...

"Go and read 'em, Will...And William..." Harmony paused...

Don't...You know...she smiled...

Yeah...he took the letters and went to his office...Where taking the seat behind his desk and eyeing his forever empty...By specific order of senior associate Liam Angel...In box...

Mr. Angel feeling Mr. Walthrop best suited to field rather than paper...Work...And requiring direct instructions on all occasions...

He began reading the first letter...

"Dear (Spike crossed out) William,

I've wanted to write you so often...Started so many times, even before Andy broke down and told us the news. I knew somehow you'd make it, just as I always knew, in the old days...Someday you'd win a soul back if anyone could.

I know I've treated you like (shit crossed out) crap and I'm sorry. But William, I was just so afraid...You meant so much to me...I was afraid I'd let my heart run away with my head. Especially after...You know, before the soul. I felt so let down, though I know in hindsight what Spike did that year was amazing...Was you, poking though to tell us you were still fighting, still alive, still capable of being a man.

More the shame on me...For not hearing your cries...I'm ashamed of that Will. I should have heard and helped, long ago. And not to support you when you first came back with that soul...I can only say, I felt I had to be careful...And I was as I said, feeling let down...Angry...

As for this year...I wasn't much better. I could've, should've made Willow reach you, even tried the resurrection spell. But everyone insisted you were at peace...That it would be cruel...And dangerous to your soul to try and bring you back. So I did nothing. I'll always be sad that it wasn't me you first saw when you first came back. (By the way, tell the bloody stupid one, he's dead meat at my hands if the stuff about him nearly letting you slide to Hell is true).

Things are good here in Rome...Lotta work with the Slayers and the new Council and I'm back in school, hoping to make it this time to graduation...

Will...I love you, I mean that. Please write or call...And come by when you can. I'll keep in touch though Harmony claims you don't want to take my calls. Which I guess I can understand, but please write me at least. If I can get to LA later this year, well...I'll try.

Of course, Buffy sends her love too.

(Right...Will sighed a moment)

Love,

Dawn..."

"Immortal Beloved XL..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop', 'Buffy Rebecca', 'Anne', 'Nemesis', and my creative use of Cicely (in those cases where I use her) is Joss' and ME's...

Summary: Of course this is the last one...Remember the IB series 1-40 are separate retellings of events during and after the Angel "Girl in Question" episode...

From an interesting suggestion by Ms. Pamela Rimshaw...

LA, an alleyway...The night of the final battle with the Senior Partners...

An alleyway down which the screaming remnants of the massed forces of Evil were retreating in panic...Not even pausing to mourn the loss of their beloved dragon...

Pursued by a horde of women of various shapes and sizes, not all young, with a number of rather over-dressed men in suits in their midst, trying valiantly to keep up with the ladies...And with a number of skinless-faced humanoids...Identical to the cyborgs who'd tried to capture Angel at one point...Dispersed throughout the mass, though generally keeping by the men in suits, looking to them periodically for instructions...

Near the front of the charging crowd...A short, twenty-something blonde...Very much the Leader, judging by the deference with which a number of the women...And men...Clustered about her treated her hastily cried orders...She paused when hailed by one tall brunette woman, about thirty in appearance... "Counselor General!..." And breathing hard, heard a hasty report by the equally winded messenger...

"The captives are being secured...Mr. Gunn's off to hospital..." the woman, one Brenda Maverly, spoke quickly, clearly anxious to rejoin her comrades in their battle...What little battle was left as several dozen more surviving demons put up their arms in posture of surrender...

"Gutless, worthless!..." the bald, little man...A death's head in appearance, now cornered in the rear of the alley, one Senior Partner Joseph, blocked from his escape portal by several dozen Slayers...Cried out at his treacherous, cowardly... "I surrender...!" he noted with hastily raised hands to the two Slayers now pulling stakes on him...

"Angel's safe with his son..." Brenda continued... "That blue demon...Ms. Burkle or whatever?...Is over with Ms. Rosenberg..."

"Where is he?..." Buffy hastily cut her off... "We don't know..." Brenda shook her head...A trace of sadness in her voice...

"Angel said...When he last saw..."

"I know what Angel said!...Find him!..." the Counselor General snapped... "He's alive...Well..." she paused... "Yes..." she nodded decisively... "His soul is alive...He's alive...And I want him found!..."

He's gotta be here...I know he is...And he's still with us...He has to be...she eyed Brenda...A faint note of despair creeping in...Yeah...Brenda nodded reassuringly... "He's ..."

"Ms. Summers!..." one of the overdressed men called to her...She looked over to see the man, a Watcher, who'd called her, directing a couple of cyborgs carefully carrying...A body...

"Tell Amanda to take as many prisoners as she can...I want all surviving Senior Partners accounted for!..." Brenda nodded, heading off as the Counselor General raced over to the Watcher and his cyborg aides...The crowd now gathered about the body parted to let their commander through...Back off, all of you, she ordered...

William...she breathed, looking down at the blonde man beneath her on the ground...Who stirred a bit as she did so...The Watcher who'd found and brought him, now kneeling by him, gave a look up at her which turned into a gentle smile and nod...A strange tremor overcoming her a moment, she covered her eyes, then nodded back...William moving a bit more now, raising his head slightly...The Watcher nodding to the anxious-looking ring of Slayers, cyborgs, and a few fellow Watchers which had once again closed round...A collective sigh of relief, particularly among the Slayers in the group...

William...she lightly called to him... "William, I'm here..." Then frowned as he raised his head slightly...

"Hello, asshole..." she glared at the battered William...Who opened his eyes feebly...Buffy?...he groaned...One of the Slayers shone a light on him...She shrieked at the sight of his hideous injuries and was on her knees at his side in a moment...William?...

"What the hell...?" he mumbled... "It's all right...It's me..." she stroked his hair... "Get Dr. Fauchon over here!...Now!..." she screamed at one of the Slayers, more now crowding in...She turned back to him...The others?...he whispered...Angel?...

"Your bloody stupid poof of a boss is fine...Posing for a commemorative photo by the dragon's body with Connor...Kidding..." she waved a hand, grinning... "He's a bit battered but ok...Connor is with him, though...And he did ask us to keep the dragon around till he's well enough to stand for a picture..."

Gunn's on his way to the hospital...And Ms. Burkle...I mean, Illyria?...Is talking to Willow about resurrection spells...

Great...he wanly nodded...So...he tried to sit up...Down!...she harshly told him, forcing him back... "Our doctor will be here in a sec...If she would kindly move her butt!..." she turned to another Slayer standing by...Who nodded and headed off...The doctor with the first Slayer sent, now glimpsed moving through the alleyway crowd of jubilant Slayers and numerous others...

The doctor reached them, a fortyish, attractive brunette...Who knelt to examine Will...And looked at her Slayer Commander... "Yeah, a vamp..." Buffy glared... "My vamp...How is he?..."

Oh...The doctor stared at him...William?...A faint smile...Yeah...Buffy nodded, frowning a bit at the doctor's lingering smile, then paled as one of the group about them cried out, pointing to a steadily growing pool of blood... "Where's that bleeding coming from?...Take care of him!..." she cried...

And no handling more than medically necessary...she frowned as the doctor now warmly beamed at her patient...William...

Damned transfer of Slayer memories...the Slayer Counselor General grumbled aloud...Noting the anxious-looking Slayers clustered about as well...Some clearly letting themselves be carried away, teary-eyed, openly weeping, or seeking to reach him, pat the hand which she kept firmly in hers...

Wiping her tears away with her free hand...

Another groan...She glared as the doctor examined the writhing William..."Don't hurt him!..."

Echoed by at least twenty watching Slayers...

"Enough, Ms. Summers...Let me do my job..." Dr. Fauchon gave a hard return glare...Physician-level...Hmmn...Buffy pulled back a bit...Nice one, doc...The doctor carefully pulled off his jacket...And gave a sudden gasp...Buffy blanching as she now saw the improvised tourniquet...And the wrist stump where his left hand had been...

Linea duty, doc...Nothin' unusual...he whispered, trying to give a grin...Buffy...He tried to raise his remaining hand to pat her, seeing her terrified face...As the doctor set to work...A Watcher came over, awaiting a chance to report...Ms. Summers?...he asked respectfully... "Talk to the Chairman!...I'm busy..." she waved a hand...

"There now, love...Nothing I haven't dealt with before...Though if a few of your people would take a looksee..." he raised his head weakly, looking round... "William, lie still!..." Buffy, the doctor, and assorted Slayers cried... "Ah, there it is...Bring my left hand over, would you lad?..." Will waved the stump of his wrist at a cyborg standing just beside the severed hand on the ground...Who brought it over to the doctor, Buffy staring as Fauchon examined it...And hastily applied a real tourniquet from her bag...Tying it off with Slayer speed...She sighed...

"I think he'll be ok, though he should thank God or whomever he's a vamp..." Ummn...Her smile faded a bit at Buffy's sudden killer-intensity glare... "Well...We can reattach the limb...But he's taken quite a beating and lost a lot of blood...He should be transported over to our medical facilities at once..." Dr. Fauchon frowned...Hmmn...Speaking of beatings, Slayer Counselor General...she eyed Buffy...A professionally hard tone coming into her voice...

I seem to remember...A professionally hard tone coming into the doctor's voice...Yeah, two Slayers in the crowd, a bit less awed by their Leader, agreed coolly...Eyeing an increasingly sheepish-looking Buffy...

Ummn...Double damn that memory transfer...the Slayer Counselor General thought...

"Very past tense, doc..." William gallantly, if feebly, noted, taking advantage of Buffy's distraction to sit up now, she frowning as she turned back to him... "And I wasn't human-souled then..."

Uh-huh...The doctor gave a sour look at him, then a somewhat chastened Buffy...

Our sweet, forgiving William...Various Slayers thought, sighing a bit as the Slayer Counselor General gave hard looks round...Watch it, sisters...

Well, maybe not our William...

"Well, in any case, let me get an ambulance over here..." Dr. Fauchon rose slowly, keeping a careful eye on the Slayer Counselor General...Who gave a somewhat nervous smile back...Hey, all beatings in very past tense, doc...Ladies...Guys...she eyed the ring of Slayers, Watchers, and cyborgs around them...

"Lets give the patient some air...Whether he needs it for breathing or not..." Dr Fauchon commanded, stepping back herself to call the ambulance... "What the doc said..." Buffy echoed from her post by William... "Nothin' more to see here...You folks have work to do...Get to your assigned positions..."

How about her?...One Slayer groused to a comrade as the ring of spectators pulled away from the object of their fascination...Double-standard for the head honcho?... "Like when you ran your corporation, Martha?...Till ya got caught?..." the comrade wryly noted...No need to bring that up is there?...Martha sighed...I'm here, right?...Redeeming myself?...True enough, the fellow Slayer shrugged...

"So..." Buffy turned back to William, feeling free to resume her glare, seeing that he was not quite at death's door... "How are you, you little blonde cowardly jerk...?"

Hey?...He looked at her, still kneeling beside him...Several Slayers yet keeping close, eyeing her...Perhaps still a tad nervous having noted Dr. Fauchon's concerns...And feeling the press of their own Buffy memories...

Knock it off, guys...she hissed at the anxious faces eyeing her then William... Well?...she returned to the object of her wrathful affection...

"Considering, girl...That I just took on and defeated several hundred of the Senior Partners' best...And seem to have again lost a reasonably important body part..." he gave another groan...And fell back...Doctor!...she and every Slayer able to see cried...

"William!..." she bent over him, placing a hand under his head, pressing his face to her cheek... "Don't die...or whatever...On me now...Please...You stupid idiot!...God, don't do this...Not before..."

IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou...she hastily whispered...As the doctor returned and knelt by his opposite side... "There...I'm committed...With over 3,600 witnesses from the side of Light reasonably near...I can't retract it...Please, Will...Ya got me where you want me...Spike, I give, you win...Just give Will what he needs to stay...Please..."

"Ms. Summers..." the doctor called to her sternly as she prepared an injection...Buffy waving her off...Don't even think I'm leaving...

Please, darling...she breathed... "Don't leave me now..."

Cause damn you, if ya know what's good for you, you do not wanna make me follow after you...she frowned...

"He's not going anywhere but for a quick ride to the hospital..." the doctor jabbed her needle into his arm...

Right, right...Buffy nodded, a grateful beam...

He stared at her, head cradled in her hand...Buffy...Love...

"Yes, yes darling...Will?...

"What the hell?...As I asked...Are you doin' here?..."

"Whaat?...You thought I wasn't gonna come!...Geesh...I oughta..." she paused...The remaining Slayers still hanging, eyeing her carefully...And some, rather sternly...

Be very annoyed with you...she lamely finished...

"The ambulance is here!..." A Slayer cried from beyond the ring about them which had fully reformed despite the Slayer Counselor General's order...

Ok!...Buffy called...A frown from the doctor forcing her to back off a bit as the EMTs moved in and got Will situated on a pallet, securing him as gently as possible...He raised head again, looking round, to see, looking out through the break now forming in the ring to let him pass, Illyria, very much in Winifred form, with Willow, Giles, and a stricken-looking Roger Wyndham-Price, all turned to view him...Illyria giving a rather Fredish, anxious smile to him...Willow a friendly wave...

An insistent Buffy followed beside him to the ambulance, climbing in with a look to the EMTs that brook no opposition...Several dozen Slayers anxiously moving in to watch as the doors closed... "Take care, William!..." a few dozen calls...

"Try and rest..." the doctor at his side told him...Buffy nodding firmly...Stroking his hair... "Go to sleep, baby...Buffy's here..." she cooed in soothing voice... "All's well..." "No, no...I can't go to sleep...I can't let it be a dream...Not again..." he whispered, tears running now... "No..." he started thrashing a bit...The doctor looking at Buffy... "No, ok...You don't have to sleep just yet..." she nodded... "Just lie still, Will...Please..."

"Tell me..." he whispered...

"Angel and I...Our people have been in secret communication almost right from the day he took over Wolfram-Hart, LA..." she began... "We had to get the Partners to believe that I didn't trust Angel...That our organizations weren't cooperating..."

"Otherwise they'd never have come out from Hell and given us our one and only shot at them..." she grinned... I see...he shook his head feebly... "So Angel and the rest of you had this all planned out...And never trusted me..." No, Will...she shook her head... "That's not true..."

She frowned...A dark look coming over... "You were the one thing Angel didn't tell me about, the jealous son of a vamp bitch...I'll never quite forgive him for that...Though when Willow tried to find your soul for me...And found out where you were...Giles persuaded her not to tell me..."

Too much chance I'd screw everything, running to LA to get you...Right where the Partners wanted me...Or so Giles and the rest of the new Council figured, assuming they'd held on to you via the amulet as bait for me...

And they...The other new Councilors...Weren't quite sure of Angel...Didn't think we should put too much faith in him...

"Of course it was sweet of you never to call me...Or just come...Jackass..."

"I just thought..." he mumbled... "I know what you thought..." she glared... "Who the hell did you think you're dealing with?...Some bitch of a Drusilla whose vows are worth crap?...If I say I love you...And don't count on hearing it again...You damned well better believe in it and me!..."

Why didn't you trust me, Will?...she began breaking down... "Oh, hell, I know..." she waved a hand... "I left you there, I told you I wanted Spike to fight, I didn't offer you any hope of a future..." she sighed... "But you should've known it was real..."

"I did..." he nodded... "For that minute, it was...And I believed...But I couldn't come to you, a vamp still, and hear you..." he paused...

I don't take things like that back, Mr. Walthrop...she interrupted coldly...Yeah, I found out your name...she nodded...

"Really..." he smiled... "You've been learning research skills, eh girl?...One Rupert Giles must be pleased..." No, she shook her head...One Rupert Giles...Was not pleased to find me researching you...

"He wanted you over and done with..."

"William, lie still, please..." the doctor now cut in...Yeah, Buffy agreed..."Let me just tell you the story, babe..."

"Andrew came back with Dana...And kept your secret about half a day...I was headed for the airport within ten seconds but Giles had Willow come after me, told me I was risking all our plans, everything...Maybe even putting you and Angel in danger as well as the new Slayers and Council..."

So I settled for calls...Which I know, you never got...Angel and I had avoided letting Harmony in on our contacts previously...And were avoiding contact at all by now, expect by way of a very few special telepathic Willowgrams...

Which now included one very angry, expletive-filled one...she grinned...Anyway...We were right to keep to telepathy...

"Harmony was keeping the Partners informed on everything...And she had, by her own admission when we caught and cursed her an hour ago...Yeah..." Buffy nodded... "She's souled again...And fairly happy about it, though I think what really pleased her is the mall trip Dawn's promised to take her on ...Anyway...She admitted her demon had blocked my calls to you...The Partners were getting nervous about the idea of us getting together while they worked on Angel...They'd fallen for our scheme and were hoping to have Angel and me fighting by the year's end..."

And to make double sure, they sent the Immortal...The son of a bitch...she frowned...

Good choice to distract me though, God, what a cutie, she grinned...And just the right combination of your romantic yearning and Angel's hero thing...Though, frankly that's been wearing a bit thin on me since he went to LA and started doing the 'my city' thing...

"The Immortal (soddin' jackass)..." she grinned as Will faintly smiled at her accent... "Didn't exactly side with the Partners...I'll say that for him...But you knew him before and probably know his modus operandi?...You are noting my use of Latin, right?..." she grinned... "I'm back in college...Anyway..."

They offered him a crack at me, another notch for his rather large and impressive belt...And more important, their resurrection spell, the one they used on Darla...He only had to try and sweep me off my feet...And keep me out of LA, away from you...

Like someone else I know, he had this crazed idea that regaining his human body would make him a human being again...Though in his case, his motivation was not love, but just to escape the punishment awaiting him in Hell...

"Loser..." she frowned... "I knew his game from the start...And played along to keep the Partners happily chuckling over the success of their scheme...Even Andrew and Dawn believed I was hooked..."

"But then...Who comes to Rome to 'save' me?...My Champion asshole coward..." she frowned at him...Buffy...he sighed...

"Who doesn't even stay to say hello?...Jackass...When Andy told me you'd been there...I coulda torn my hair out...A chance to get you out safe and sound before things went to hell and you screw it...Why do you think I didn't come after you?...They were watching you and Angel all the time, ready to grab you if I showed any signs of your matterin' to me..."

Angel didn't tell...

"He didn't know...And had to keep quiet about the little he did know...I told you we weren't in contact except for the very rare telepathic note...But you shoulda known...Jerk..."

Of course as I said I was also pissed to hell that you hadn't come or called...And doubly pissed that you didn't wait up that night...I was so furious, I cursed you and your Goddamn soul a zillion times...Hell, Spike would never have run out like that...You little coward, afraid to face me!...

Well...he shook his head... "I only wanted to let you move on, girl..."

"I know..." she sighed... "I cursed myself worst of all...I know you didn't believe me cause I hadn't given you anything to believe in...William, if you knew what I've been through these past months...How many times I was on the verge of throwing it all to hell and just coming...How scared I was that the Partners would figure us out and take you..."

But it's all right now...It's all over now...she beamed...We're together at last...You never lost me...Your Buffy is with you, my darling...Always...She kissed him...Somehow, it not seeming odd to him that her hair had turned black and her face changed appearance...

"Thank you so much...For forgiving me last night..." she smiled...He stared but again, somehow...Was not surprised... "Yeah, I was there...Hiding in the back...But I heard you..."

Always...she whispered...You know that...

"Yes, always..." he whispered back...

"Cicely..." he smiled wanly...And closed his eyes...A bright light swallowing him as he drifted off...

"Dru..." An anxious Angelis stared at Drusilla, standing over the writhing body of her victim...One William Soames Walthrop, poet...In the London alley where she'd just dropped him...She looked up at her grandsire's nervous face...

"We have to get out of here...Darla says she's sensed the Slayer near, closing on us...She knows the bitch's scent, lass..."

If you're going to take that little fellow...He eyed Walthrop, now in his death throes...

"No..." Dru eyed William coldly... "I thought he'd be right for me...But I don't like his dreams...They're not of me...Just of..." she paused...Angelis impatiently looking down the alley where he'd come, then back at her...

He's not for me...she stated simply... I'll leave him to his dreams...Alone...

"Angelis!..." Darla's cry brought them up short... "Lets go, lass...Now!..." Angelis insisted, grabbed her arm...Dru letting herself be pulled away, gave one last look at the dying...Now dead...William...

No...Not the sort of dreams I like...she shook her head...And raced off with Angelis...

A sound of running feet...A young brunette woman in rather elegant 1880's dress, though rather winded and a bit the worse for wear...Incongruously clutching a stake in her right hand...Appeared, shining a lantern from her other hand which, noting something in the dark just ahead of her, she lowered...

"William..." she stared at him...Falling to her knees beside him...All thought of those she'd pursued vanished as she looked over him, feeling... "NO!..." a piteous howl... "They told me you'd be safe if I sent you away!..." she shrieked...

A profound calm suddenly coming over her...She forced herself to check for the signs...No, thank God...No trace scent of its blood in his mouth or anywhere...He was...Safe...

Free...Free and safe, my darling...she whispered...Holding his body in her arms...Rocking him gently...

And, in a moment...she looked down at the stake she'd dropped beside him...

Your Cicely will be with you...For always...

"Immortal Beloved XLI..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..."

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: What can I say these things are like candy or Lays...

LA...Offices of Burkle (Winifred Illyria Burkle), Gunn, and Walthrop...Eight months after the defeat of the Senior Partners...

"William S. Walthrop...How may...Buffy?..." he blinked at the phone...

"Spike!...You've got to come...I need you!...The world needs you!..."

Well...She hesitated...Ok, not the world world per se...But an island...A beautiful island...Where several of our Slayers hail from...Is in danger...

Uh-huh...William eyed the phone...

"Just what the hell is the problem, girl?..."

"Giant killer shrews, Spike...Cursed ones...Well, mostly genetically enhanced...But a spell is involved...See the island shamans wanted the genetic researchers off their island...So..."

"So it was the inhabitants themselves who called down the bogeymen, eh?...And now they're screamin' for help?..."

Well, yeah...But lives are at stake, Spike!...And like I said, the island is home to a couple of our Slayers...

"Killer shrews?...What's the big deal?..."

"Humongous killer shrews...Magically protected from harm...Well, not completely...A military post on the island killed a bunch with heavy artillery from the US test range...But they're overrunning the place and it'll be days before more troops and weapons can get in..."

"So?...Why not have your home-grown Slayers, plus a few hundred extra, fly in and deal?..."

"Spike?...They're magically enhanced...We might lose some of our Slayers..."

But...she paused...There is a way to stop them at a very low cost...

Uh-huh...he sighed...

Why do I think I know what that very low cost item is?...he thought...

"And it would be another chance for my Champion to prove himself..." her voice was encouraging...

"Yeah...Ummn...Buffy?...You know I don't remember you checkin' in on me after I got back...Even after I got my hands cut off helpin' your psycho Slayer, Dana..."

"Ummn...I didn't know you were back..."

"Odd that you knew to call me now..." he noted...

Ummn...See...Andrew only told me long...Really long after...

"And then there's the little matter of poor ole Angel...You didn't even come to his funeral service..."

"I was busy...Besides I sent a card...Well, I bought one, but I lost it...Anyway, Spike..."

William...he corrected... "Spike was my fiend...I'm human-souled, remember?...I want to be called by my human name now...I've earned it and then some..."

Oh...Right... "Anyway, William...What's need here is a Champion...A self-sacrificing one..."

Like you...her voice was warm...

Uh-huh...

"See there's this necklace that the Champion wears...And it attracts the shrews..."

Uh-huh...

"Then they eat him...And they all die..."

Indigestion, no doubt...he noted...

"And all those lives and that nice island property...Saved..."

"Just how many lives are at stake here?..."

"Ummn...Nearly 200...I think...But I did mention a couple of our Slayers are from there..."

"Nearly 200...Right...Ummn, Buffy...Couldn't they be evacuated while the military comes in..."

"Well, some are getting out right now...But, it's their home, Sp...er Will...And they naturally don't want to go..."

Right...Well, Buf...I would suggest your Pago-Pago Slayers offer themselves for their homeland...Or perhaps the bloody shamans who started the whole thing...

"Will...That's not the attitude I expect from my Champion..." she sighed... "These are human lives we're talking about...It's not like they're already dead with no reason to continue their worthless existence..."

"Well...You're already dead, Buffy..." he noted... "Why don't you wear the necklace and get your face eaten?..."

"Spike?..."

"Sorry...How's about Willow?...Can't she hex 'em?..."

"Still on her astral plane tour..."

Pity...he noted...We missed her too...

Hmmn... "Yeah...Sorry about Ms. Burkle..."

"Yes...So were we...Especially me...I haven't met many like her..."

A pause on the line...Buffy obviously waiting for an "...and you..."

"Sp...er William...?" she finally gave up, a slightly miffed tone in her voice now... "Will you come?...For me?..."

"Buf...I might consider coming to fight your shrews...If I thought the situation merited it...But be fed to them?...For 200 or less folks who could get away if they had any brains?...No, girl...I think not...Why not try good ole Harris?..."

"The sacrifice has to be supernatural..." Ah...

"Besides, Xander already said no...We were gonna try and fool em with a charm..."

"Nice to hear Harris has developed a brain..."

"Well, he's got responsibilities now...And he's human...I mean...I view you as human now..." she noted hastily... "With the soul and all...Of course...But..."

Just not 'that human'...he finished...

"William..."

"Buffy..." he sighed... "I'm not saying I wouldn't gladly make the sacrifice again for the world any day...Maybe even for the right group of people...Hell, you know me, probably for the right girl..."

But...I have responsibilities now...Like dear ole Harris...An investigative/legal firm to run, a fight against Evil to wage here in LA in ole Angel's name...

"We can handle that, Will...Just call Giles, he'll send some Watchers to run things after...Well, if...You go..."

"Sorry, Buf...Not this one...Perhaps another time...Say..."

Why don't you ask the Immortal?...He's supernatural, right?...

"Like to feed him to killer shrews..." she groused... "The bastard dumped me...Right after you guys fought the Partners and Angel died..."

Said he couldn't believe I wasn't going to you in the hospital...Or to Angel's funeral...

That I had no compassion...Me, no compassion...Buffy Summers, the Queen of compassion...

"Hard to believe..." he kindly noted...

"You know I was busy, right?...Right..."

Sure...he sighed...I never expected it...

"C'mon, William...For me?...Couldn't you see your way clear on this one?...Just one last sacrifice for your Slayer who you know loves you..."

Within reason, of course...Allowin' for the idea of us as a real thing to be impossible...she hastily noted...

"No picket fence, right?..." she asked...

"Well, not with you, Buf...I know that...Though actually I am having a nice fence put in round my new place...Sarah likes picket fences..."

Sarah?...

"Oh, right...You've never shown the slightest interest in me or my doings since I died for you...Yeah, I'm getting married...Next month, actually...In fact I think you know the lass..."

"A demon?...Did you find some tramp vamp who claims she's got a soul?...You know you can't believe every..."

"Human, Buf...In fact...A Slayer...You know, the divorced actress who resembles you..."

Hmmn?...

"She trained with you three months ago...Refused to stay in England and led that rebellion of Slayers against you?...Got the Council to let them have their lives back, instead of hanging round you there?...Pointed out that you'd actually had a preety nice life here in sunny CA with Mummy and all..."

Ummn...?

"Scooby-doo..." he said drily...

Oh...That Sarah... (Should've killed that bitch...she murmured under her breath)

"That Sarah...Yeah..."

"You could've waited for me to check in, you know..." she fumed...

"Eternity ain't that long, Buf..." he replied... "And my Sarah's a great girl...Just selfless enough to save the world, but devoted to her family and career as well..."

"Divorced, isn't she?..."

"You just heard me say so, girl...Yeah..."

"I remember her, William...Very opinionated, ruthless...Though kinda family-centered, I admit...She wouldn't follow my orders, wanted to go home...And led that rebellion just cause Giles and I wouldn't let her run off home to her hubby..."

"Sure sounds like the girl for me...Care to come to the wedding?...That is unless you sacrifice yourself to the killer shrews..."

"William..." a shocked tone... "I'm the Slayer Counselor General...I can't throw my life away..."

Unless of course it's for Dawny...Part of me...she noted...

Right...he sighed...Well, if your schedule permits we'd be pleased to have you...

"If I say yes, will you come to fight the shrews?..." an eager tone...

"As in...So you and your Slayers can club me one and feed me to them?...No thanks..."

William?...Again the shocked tone...

Gee he knows me so well...she thought sadly...And now...I've lost him...

Like hell...she grimly correctly...Nobody steals the Slayer's boyfriend...

Especially some junior slayer, small s...Who resembles me...

"I'll be there...Tell Sarah...Thanks..." she told him...

Maybe I could even drop by early...she suggested... "We could get caught up on things...?"

Like the most intense sex on God's Earth...she thought...Hmmn, I had forgotten about that...Even better than with His asinine Benevolence...

"Immortal Beloved XLII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "Not Fade Away..." However everything regarding the outcome and Cicely here is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Walthrop' is Joss' and ME's

Summary: What can I say these things are like candy or Lays...

Archived with the rest of the "Immortal Beloved" series (each a different outcome of events from "Girl in Question..." on ...) at the 'normal' Buffyverse (hey, you saw the quotes!) of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll down to the series).

I will also probably file this with the other lost works of England's third worst poet in Book I of the Semi-Complete Works of William Soames Walthrop...

.

On an LA weeknight, oh tres dreary...Pondered I, weak and weary...

Just from the battle, besmirched with gore...Dragging my limbs along the floor...

Heard I soft familiar laughing...And a gentle but steady tapping...Rapping on my new apartment door...

"Tis Illyria or Gunn...Or perhaps Angel...To summon me to fight once more...Bugger that, I'll do no more..."

Only this and nothing more...

To said door went I, unclasping...Turning deadbolt with groaning rasping...Rasping?...From my brand-new door?...

Rates a memo to building super sure...

Only this and nothing more...

Flung I the door with certain caution...As in my own blood I was sloshing...

After all, just fought demons galore...

Could be that there was one more...

"Not a thing..." said I, looking...Searchin' round my new apartment door...

Quoth the Niblett... "Bout time you opened the door..."

"Nibs?..." said I, with cheek atremblin'...Lookin' at her glaring, teenaged form...

"What the hell?..." She entered coolly...Glancing round, closing the door...

"Hey, Spike...Or should I say William?...Walthrop, wasn't it your name before?..."

Researched my past thought I, calming...

Only this and nothing more...Hey?...

"Is Buffy with you?...Is she comin'...?"

Quoth the Niblett... "Nevermore..."

"Bloody Christ?...What the hell is this?...Did she send you to piss on me, Niblett?..."

"Tell me, where is Buffy...Is she in LA?...Is she comin'...?..."

Quoth the Niblett... "Nevermore..."

She took a seat and eyed me coolly...As dread crept on me unruly...

"Tell me, Niblett...Tell me truly...As an old friend...Well, in those long-lost times before...When will I see her?..."

"Nevermore..."

"Now, you ruddy well listen, you little fiend from Hades!...I don't know who put you up to this, Harris maybes...But I want an answer so I'll ask once more!...Where the goddamn's your sister...?"

"You mean the one you abandoned?...For evermore...The one who loved you?...And did before?..."

"Before...?"

"When she was the Slayer in 1880, moron...My broken-hearted sis' gone beneath the floor...Cicely that was heretofore..."

"Cicely...?"

"Cicely..." she nodded...Pausing, then said no more...

"Cicely...A Slayer?...But...Nibs, how can you...?"

"The Council's records prove it...Ask Giles to be sure..."

"As to the rest...She is gone and there's no more..."

"Buffy was Cicely?...She truly loved me?...And now has gone to that distant shore...?"

Quoth the Niblett, rising... "That's for sure..."

"But how..." "Despairing of seeing you, making amends...Knowing what'd happened to you before..."

That's what did it, nothing more...

"Nibs!..." screamed I, in horror reeling...But from current pain would've climbed the ceiling...

"Say a word of comfort...Fore you go out my door...Say I'll yet behold the Buffy I adore..."

"Have you been listenin'?...Nevermore..."

"So she learned she was my Cicely...Of that you're sure?...Then of grief she died?...You said before...That was it and nothing more?..."

Quoth the Niblett... "That's it, sure..."

Oh...she paused...And just one thing more...

"She'd've lived if you'd've come...Of that we're sure...But you didn't trust her love, so..." Buffy burst right through my door...

"Dawn!...Enough already!...Hurt my Will no more!...Ouch!..." she stared at my bruises...

Buffy?...stared I back..."Cicely, too...?" Yeah...she nodded... "That part's true..." Frowning... "Sorry, had to be sure...You know you took your time to say 'how-de-do'..."

Feebly I... "Well, you did too..." As she hugged me...Wincing...At my apartment door...

And from me parted...Nevermore...

"Immortal Beloved XLIII..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Swear it's the last in the series...Maybe...Eh, what the hell, I'll try for 50...

LA...The night of the abrupt end of Angel's career as a Wolfram-Hart exec...

"Slayers!..." a voice cried... "Form ranks...Stakes!..." the massed Slayers presented stakes... "For our William!...Charge!..."

He looked to see the group in three rows, stakes out, charging as the Wolfram-Hart forces began to waver, eyeing the determined Slayers bearing down on them...Wavered and then broke, most racing for the portal behind them as fast as legs, wings, or in a few cases, segmented bodies, could carry them...Several isolated leaders, Senior Partners or their seconds-in-command, looking on furiously but helplessly...

And in the vanguard of the fifty or so charging Slayers, crying out the order to charge...Dana?...he blinked at the sight...Struggling to rise in spite of his injuries...

Two Slayers raced to him, one unfolding a sort of stretcher... "No, William..." One called, the other moving to gently restrain him... "Our people'll take care of things...You've got to come with us, we've got a doctor and some medical supplies..." "Angel, Charlie...Illyria..." he gasped... "They're ok, Mr. Gunn's on his way to the hospital, Angel's getting treated...Illyria's with him..." the one hold him gently but firmly down told him...

"What the hell's...?" "We've come to help you, William...It's ok...Come on..." the two carefully placed him on the stretcher and lifted him...

"Buffy?..." he murmured, looking around...The two eyed each other...

He caught sight of a short, thin blonde in the charging ranks... Buffy!...he called...

"Just rest Will...We'll talk later..." they bore him as gently as possible away, though the pain was such that he passed out almost immediately...

He woke to find himself on the ground, a thirties-ish woman attending him, attaching an IV...About a dozen Slayers surrounding his stretcher...And Dana at one side...Holding his hand, an anxious look on her face...Illyria, in Fred form, by his other, looking concerned...Though perhaps a tad confused and wan...

And among the dozen, the blonde he'd seen...Buffy?...He stared...No, though very like...A hair older and a bit stringier...

"William..." Dana breathed gently... "Hey..." she beamed...He involuntarily gulping a bit...Pulling his hand back...She looking a bit embarrassed and downcast as he did so...

Sorry...he whispered...Don't mean... "I understand..." she nodded... "William?..." Illyria asked, looking a bit puzzled... "Your name's William, right?..." she eyed him...

"Illyria took quite a lot of energy shocks..." Dana hastily explained... "Sort of like electroshock...The effects of which..." she wryly grinned... "I can fairly say I am familiar with..."

"Dana?...You seem quite a bit of alright, girl..." he blinked at her...

"Cicely...William..." she eyed him... "My name's Cicely now...Cicely-Dana might be more accurate..."

Cicely?...he stared... "Yeah..." she smiled, nodding... "I was a Slayer even then, darling..."

He turned to Illyria, who looked if anything even more puzzled...

"Dana couldn't save herself alone, Will..." Cicely-Dana explained... "The psychological damage was too great...But when I surfaced in her, the memories I mean...When she'd been given what treatment could be given... We...She and I...Realized our one chance to survive was to unite as one...And so we did..."

"And just in time too, from the looks of things..." she smiled gently again...

"Cicely?..." he whispered... "I was trying to save you, William...That night...I had to send you away...Or so I thought..." she sighed... "I loved you Will...But I was the Slayer and you were a human...A very gentle human...And everyone, the Council, my Watcher...They all assured me I was giving you a death sentence by keeping you around..."

But I was wrong...she frowned... I should have trusted in you and in us...

"I failed you..." she shook her head... "I didn't even stop Spike from rising...But I knew you'd forgive me...And I was there, Will...Yesterday, at the club...When you did..."

"Where's Wesley...?" Illyria suddenly asked, looking round...Several of the Slayers and Dana eyeing her in sorrow... "I have to find my Wes..." she paused...Oh...Her body trembling...Two Slayers coming to her... "Pet, I'm so sorry..." Will patted her hand, still in his, gently as she sobbed...

"Angel?..." he eyed Dana... "He's ok?..."

"A little bruised, the hair mussed...But in pretty good shape..." she grinned... "And very anxious for us to keep his dragon around till he can have it carted away for a trophy..."

He slew his dragon?...At last?...Good for the bloody poof...Will grinned back...

"Yeah...And are his girlfriend and his boy proud...And Charlie Gunn is doing well at the hospital...But there's more Will..."

"We got...!" one Slayer began eagerly, the others shushing her...Dana smiling at them... "We got all the Partners' magics data...Including the Prophecy and resurrection stuff..." she beamed... "Will?...We hafta check, but we think we may be able to help you and Angel...Humanity-wise..."

He stared...

"I thought only one..." he began... "Prophecies are funny things Will, as are magics...But we need to do some work on the stuff yet, maybe call in Mr. Giles or Willow..."

I see...he paused...She eyed him...

"Buffy?..." she asked gently... As a couple of Slayers frowned at the name...

"She's involved with someone these days, Will..." "The Immortal?..." Yeah, Dana nodded...

"She wasn't even gonna..." one Slayer in the crowd began...He eyed her as the others nudged her silent...The blonde, Buffyish girl now in front, eyeing him sympathetically...

"She didn't come..." he looked at Dana... "She thought you didn't want her to, Will...You did take your time about coming to Rome..." the Slayer noted... "And Mr. Giles didn't think she should go to LA, too risky with them uncertain about Angel..." she paused...

"And me..." he finished, looking at his hands... "No...We never doubted you, Will..." Dana told him firmly... "Though Buffy just wanted to put things...You...And me, Cicely... What she had of me in her memories...Behind her..."

"So, we did kinda hafta skip out on the quiet to get here..." she grinned...Then serious... "If she'd known the Partners were coming for you, she'd've come, I'm sure, Will..."

Oh...? "Then why...?"

"I had to see you again...And see if I could work up the nerve to meet you..." she sighed... Then smiled... "But then thank God, I tracked you down to that poetry slam...And I knew you'd forgiven me...Well, Cicely me, anyway..."

Then when we saw what was up, the bunch of us who'd come over to see you called in all the locals we could...And here we are...

"We figured it was about time a few of us went the extra mile for our William...Especially me..." she smiled...

Hands ok?...she looked at them a bit nervously...

Fine...he smiled wanly...

The Buffy near twin stood watching them, the closest of the other Slayers...Cicely-Dana eyed her...

"This is Sarah Gellar..." she made an intro...The woman eyeing William carefully... "The actress...?"

Yes...he nodded to Ms. Gellar's shy smile... "I've seen your work...Always amazed me how much you looked like..." he paused...

"He's got to get to the hospital...And get some rest..." the woman tending his IV noted... "Right..." Cicely-Dana nodded... Ms. Gellar nodding as well...But looking fixedly at him...Two Slayers gently moving the wan Illyria away a few feet...As she fussed and looked anxious, he called to have them bring her back, at which she calmed, retaking his hand... "You'll be alright, William...I'll help you..." she gently told him... "We'll get you to my lab and I'll help you..." she murmured... "Can she come along?..." he asked...Cicely-Dana eyed the doctor who nodded...

The two Slayers by her helped Illyria in the ambulance as others lifted William in...

"Ok, guys...He's gonna be fine..." Cicely-Dana eyed the Slayers clustering round... Yeah...Ms. Gellar nodded... "Lets check and round up any remaining W-Hers and get the prisoners secured...Ok, ladies?..." Buffy now waved off the glam which had altered her appearance slightly...

"Nice job...Cicely..." she eyed Cicely-Dana coolly as the others left their two leaders alone...As they obviously wished...

"You saw..." Cicely-Dana noted, equally coolly... "He still loves me...It's me he's always loved...In you as well..."

"He was looking for me..." Buffy shook her head... "I should have told him, I never should've..."

"I deserve my chance, Ms. Summers...And if you truly wish to allow Will his choice..." she paused...

"You let him die..." Buffy began... "So did you..." Cicely-Dana eyed her coldly..." And you did nothing for him all these wasted, lost years when you could've saved him...Left him as he was..."

"He loved me in the beginning and he...his poor condemned soul...Has waited for me all these years...It was me he sensed in you, Ms. Summers..."

"Well..." Buffy looked at her rival sternly... "When I've kept my promise...And you've had a couple of days to make him believe it's really you...And I have my chance..."

We'll see which of us he loves...

"And if he can't choose..." Cicely-Dana smiled gently... "We'll settle matters between us..."

Yes, Buffy nodded...Sizing up her opponent...Formerly the Greatest Slayer of all Time...To 1981 at least...

"We will..."

"Immortal Beloved..." XLIV...

Summary: One of my various outcomes following Angel episodes "Girl in Question" to "Not Fade Away"...

Archived at the Buffy Rebecca verse, .

Disclaimer: All BTVS characters remain the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, and all other owner/creators of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series...

LA...The battle with the forces of the Senior Partners appears to be reaching its inevitable end...Gunn down, barely breathing as Illyria tries to cover him...Angel, though jubilant as he stood in triumph over his slain dragon, well aware as the hordes round them close in that it may be his epitaph...

An exhausted, battered William barely on his feet as the demons surrounding the little group now move in for the kill...Nearly blind from the blood filling his eyes...As much theirs as his, as far as that goes to comfort him...

A huge fellow reaches him...Green, scaly...Might the humanoid cousin of Angel's opponent, Will notes to himself as he tries to brace to go down fighting...The demon rearing for the final blow...

And falls to the ground with a heavy thud...Dead...A stake protruding from its back...William staggering, sees a horde of young women now sweeping over the panicking Wolfram-Hart forces who fall back in confusion to their Hell portal...The...Yes, no doubt about it...Slayers in hot pursuit...

And now he can, through bloody, bruised eyes, barely make out one of the women standing by his dead former opponent...

She pulled the stake out with a grunt...And eyeing him coolly, tossed it at his feet...He stared, wiping his weary face, trembling with fatigue and pain...She grabbed him as he stumbled, setting him down carefully, anxiously, smiling a bit now, waving in the other Slayers not occupied in rounding up the surrendering forces of Evil, Inc...Calling "Ladies!..." As they formed a line and each dropped her stake at his feet...Grinning at him as they came up and passed by him...

"Buffy?..." he looked up at her...She turned back from calling first to a woman bearing medical supplies, then to Angel and eyed him...Then the pile of stakes...

"Our picket fence..." she smiled...

"Immortal Beloved..." XLV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Hmmn...Think I will try for 50...I mean the numbers are easier to write after 40 anyway...

LA...The night of the battle with the Senior Partners...

A battered, bruised William stares up from the ground at a wanly smiling Angel standing near him...He looks to see Illyria protectively covering a collapsed, unconscious Gunn while in an agitated, yet sweet Fred voice, speaking into the cell phone Angel'd just handed her, demanding an ambulance at once...Switching to Illyrian threatening tone when the operator began demanding details...

"Angel?...We're...Whatever version of alive you can call us?..."

"That we are, William..." he turned at the sound of a voice, a rather miffed one...

"Hey!...You might remember who you owe that life or whatever to..." A frowning...

Buffy?...William stared...She now beaming at him... Hey, my lil' blonde babe...she grinned, waving...

Angel frowning at her...

"We're properly grateful..." he began, eyeing Will, now struggling to rise...She was over to him in a second, gently forcing him back to the ground... "No, Will...Honey, lie back..."

Get some help for him...she turned to Angel, startling William a little by her cold tone...

And now, despite his pain...He began sensing...Something wrong...

"Illyria has an ambulance coming from LA General...I've got calls out, our medical staff may see the light and side with the victors..."

Tell them they're dead if they don't...she glared...Kneeling beside William...

"Buffy..." he looked at her... "But...You..."

"I'm here Will, sorry I took so long...Came just as soon as I could..."

"Who...?" Will whispered faintly, twisting to stare at her...Near passing out... "I'm here, baby...Buffy's come to you..." she murmured, stroking his hair... "Just in the nick, from the looks of things..." she grinned... "Don't fret...I'm here..."

Angel now frowned again and would have spoken...But for the sudden interruption of a massive blue light in their midst...

Dawn and Giles...Giles holding an orb...And both staring with cold anger at...

"Anne...!" Dawn's angry cry...

"Angel...That is not..." Giles began...

Hello...I know that, Giles...Angel fumed a little...Vampire here, can sense a sister when I see one...

And by the way, nice of you not to let us know Buffy had deliberately arranged to be transformed when you got to Cleveland after learning she was dying of her injuries from Sunnydale and that Will's spirit was still on Earth with me...Killed Willow before she could curse her...And that you've had an Slayer actress twin of Buffy playing Buf for months to keep the underworld from learning the truth until you could catch her...

"I know Giles..." Angel nodded to him... "She's agreed to surrender now that William's safe...And more..."

And I also know she's the only one of you who damned well cared enough, demon or no, to come and help us out, despite the risk of your finally catching up with her...Though all for William as she explained before I nearly staked her...

Hmmn...Looks like the party's over and I be bound for Africa...Anne frowned at them...

Oh well, just another fool for love is Annie...she sighed...Cradling William in her arms...

"Immortal Beloved..." XLVI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Hmmn...Think I will try for 50...I mean the numbers are easier to write after 40 anyway...

LA...Night...

Near their Hell portal, the forces of the Senior Partners pause to group themselves for what, given the overwhelming numbers, ought to be a rather brief charge...Their only concern to be sure of quick withdrawal after victory before human authorities can detect them...

Down the alley from the portal, the pathetic forces of Light under Angel...A battered, stumbling Gunn, a tense, determined-to-avenge-Wesley-in-blood, Illyria, and a grinning, Helluva-way-to-go-out, count-me-in William brace themselves...While Angel eyes his dragon target...

"What the hell?..." Will looks round...As do his comrades...And their adversaries...Hearing...

Uh-oh...The dragon, hovering, eyes his demonic humanoid trainer below...His distant cousin, actually...

Play theme

"Is that Barry White's "Love's Theme"?..." William eyes Angel...Illyria quickly reviewing her Fred memories...Hmmn...Barry...? The music, indeed the opening cascade of "Love's Theme" pouring apparently out of thin air...

Lights from on high...Accompanied by the whir of large chopper blades...The Demonic Forces and those of Angel stare up to see a vast force of men and women in black, heavily armed, descending on ropes...Firing weapons into the now milling and wavering demonic horde...

Trucks pull up at the far, open end of the alley, from which a horde of women, some barely out of their teens, some past forty, pile out on the double...Along with some rather overdressed for the occasion, young men and women, bearing the unmistakably tweedy look of...Watchers...A number of the women bearing stakes, crossbows...Or the occasional bazooka...

Even as the trucks unload and the men-and-women-in-black descend their ropes to William, Angel, Gunn, and Illyria's blinking astonishment and the rhythmic beat of Barry's music...A car pulls up at the far end of the alley...

William looking in wonder at about as an exact a replica of the old Spikemobile as might be imagined...The driver's door, facing them, opens...The same music playing all around them, blaring from within...

A short, lithe young woman with tightly bunned blonde hair...Blonder than he remembered, Will notes to himself...Wearing dark glasses...Dressed to his rather pleased surprise, if the likewise staring Angel's slight annoyance...In a long black duster...Emerges...Scanning the situation with a quick, hard look round...

A look that stops and centers...On him...A smile, gently at odds with her brusque, business-like moves, breaking out slowly...The music behind her reaching just the right framing point as she does...She gives a brief wave...And turns to pull something out of the car...

Buffy...he murmurs...

Before he can call to her, those among the enemy either too determined or not yet panicked enough to join the growing rout of demonic troops racing for their one escape via Hell portal, make a desperate attempt to charge...

The dragon, however, taking the better part of valor to his disgusted cousin's chagrin...And Angel's disappointment, descends in gesture of surrender, denying air support...

And before they can cover the short distance to him, William finds Buffy and three other rather fleet Slayers by his side...She unlimbering her favorite rocket launcher, pulled from her version of the Spikemobile a moment before...

"Hey..." she smiles at him...Sighting the charging front ranks with her launcher as the chopper-flown troops and her own Slayer-Watcher force begin laying down a heavy fire of various weapons...

A well-aimed rocket tearing apart the small group of the enemy front line charging towards them...

"Girl?..." Yeah?...She gives a quick, mock annoyed frown... "Thought I wouldn't come, you little cowardly..." Hey?... "Emotional..." she fires off another... "...cowardice I mean...You know..."

"Nice coat..."

Yeah...she beams... "Hey, Angel..." a quick wave... "Sorry we had to lay it on so thick with the 'not trusting ya'...Knew you'd bring 'em out in the open for us..." returning to Will...

"Howdya like the car?...That was the damnest hardest thing to find..."

Just great...Beautiful...he beams... "Off...!..." she screams at a large green demon, well-fanged, who'd broken through to them and was seeking to stomp William...A crossbolt from a Slayer behind them taking him out quite effectively...

Music ok?...she smiled... "I figured I'd go with something a bit older yet still super cool...Like my honey..."

"So...You believe now...?" she eyed him... "No more doubts?...I love you?..."

"In that coat, with that car...And that musical backup...I guess I have no choice..." he smiled...Then hesitated...Ummn...

Several Slayers and Watchers came up, dragging captured senior members of the enemy forces...He saw Riley and wife now talking to Angel and Illyria back down the alley...

"The Immortal...?" he turned back her

"Right...Andy mentioned him to you that night...?" she frowned...

So, you guys ready to surrender?...she eyed the enemy prisoners... "Never!..." one stout red-faced...red-furred and red-horned fellow cried...

Ummn...Luki?...Several of the others eyed their gallant comrade...Discretion is Wolfram-Hart's middle name, ya know?...

"Andrew may have dropped a name that night, it does sound familiar..."

Oh, really?...she frowned, an annoyed one this time... "Then you mighta stuck round and fought for your girl you know..." Turning to wave on more Slayers towards the Hell portal...

"Andrew said..."

"'Andrew said'..." she mimicked... "Since when do you take love lessons from Andrew?...Damnit, if he hadn't coughed up the beans at last that night..."

"Oh really...?" he eyed her...Several of the captured leaders eyeing the couple now...

They do make a nice pair, one noted to his companions...Though it's probably best that he's wearing the short jacket now...Both in dusters would just be a little too...

C'mon...Angel hissed to the dragon, now patiently awaiting chains and other restraints... You're a dragon, practically the last of your kind...You can't want to go out this way...C'mon, lets fight it out...

Plllease...the dragon shook its massive head...And I expect Geneva POW rules to apply...it noted in dignified, if hoarse tones...

Of course...Riley, beside it, nodded...

Angel frowning slightly...This is my dragon, Finn...his look saying...

"You had no...idea that I'd materialized, let alone corporealized here in LA...?" Will frowned at a slightly sheepish-looking Buffy...Rather incongruously sheepish-looking in her "Modesty Blaze, Ms. Spike..." outfit...

Well...she looked down... "Willow did say your spirit didn't seem to be in Heaven when we checked by seance...Me knowing you weren't in Hell..." she nodded firmly...

"But Giles didn't think...After Andy told us about Dana...And you...See..."

"We needed to have the Partners think I didn't trust Angel at all...If I'd come to LA too soon..."

I did try to call and write...she sighed... "After Dana and the hands, I mean..."

They ok?...Fine, he wiggled them for her... Phew...she nodded...

"But Harmony being Angel's secretary...It was clear they weren't reaching you..."

"Slayer-Counselor General?..." A formal-looking Watcher approached... "The enemy appears ready to surrender..." Yeah, yeah...she waved

They didn't reach ya, did they?...she gave an anxious, sad stare...

"I figured " she beamed, nodding at his confirmation...

"And you coulda called me...Come to us in Rome..."

"Well..." he begin... "I know, you didn't believe me..." she sighed...

"I believed...But..." he paused... "I wasn't sure...if it was just for the moment, you might ask me to let you take it back..."

William...? she stared...

"I mean...As lifetime commit and all...You know... 'No picket fence for us'..."

"Yeah...I prefer iron or at least black aluminum grilling..." she grinned...Turning to the captured enemy leaders...

Ok, guys...Two options...

"One, we fight it out to your deaths..." she eyed them coldly...

Or...

"Two...You guys and your pals stack arms and be my guests at our wedding reception..."

Ummn...Will blinked...As she unbuttoned her duster to reveal a lovely wedding gown...Pulling veil from a duster pocket...

"You clowns are damned lucky not to have mussed my dress..." she glared at the prisoners...

Wedding reception?...Sounds good to me...One valiant but sensible fellow beamed congenially upon the happy...If in the groom's case, a bit bewildered...couple...

"Hey, Your Eminence..." she called...A handsome, young-looking man stepping forward...In cardinal's robes...

"Will, meet His Benevolence..." she eyed a startled William... "Who's kindly agreed to marry us...Right now...Before you run on me..."

The Immortal gave a friendly smile...Offering a hand... "Mr. Walthrop, I presume...I understand you and Angel received the capo without any difficulty?..."

"Cardinal Immortale took holy orders a century ago when he achieved redemption..." she grinned... "But he likes to get out and mingle in his street clothes every now and then..."

Be nice...she hissed... He went outta his way to come along to do the services...And he was the one who told me you were probably just scared too shitless to face me...

"Immortal Beloved..." XLVII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...What the hell, I'll try for 50...I mean the numbers are easier to write after 40 anyway...

"Buffy..." Willow shook her head sadly, staring at the Slayer where, rather oblivious to the chaos about her, she now cradled the still, battered body of William Soames Walthrop, aka William the Blood aka Spike...

"If you'd just called me in sooner..." she looked round the blasted alley, where remains of various demons lay scattered, blasted and flash-fried by the rather substantial energy pulse the wiccan had just fired down the way...

I mean...she paused... "You were here all day...You were following him...Didn't you get any inkling of what was up until just before..."

Didn't you even try to speak to him?...she, seeing the tears on her friend's cheek did not say...

"I'm so sorry, Buf..."

Buffy stroked William gently, tenderly...Shaking her head...

"We didn't know what was going on until they came here...I didn't think we should speak to them directly til we knew what was up...Not that I ever doubted him...But you know Giles said not to risk contact until we were certain of Angel's intentions..."

Dawn, beside her, gave a slight, brief, narrow look...Which she wiped quickly as possible...Willow sighing again... "Poor Charlie Gunn...And Wesley, too...Well, at least Angel is still kickin'...And that blue lady..." she looked to where Illyria was being tended by two Slayers who'd teleported in with her moments ago...

Yeah...Buffy nodded, a wan smile... "I'm glad for him...And what's his latest's name..." She stared down briefly to where Nina was helping Angel rise to his feet...

"Poor guy..." Willow sighed again at William... "I wish he'd had the guts to come to you..." Yeah...Buffy nodded... "But he's in Heaven now and, maybe...Maybe now he believes I wasn't lying..."

Dawn staring at her...

"Well, I'll go check the Hell portal and make sure it's secure...Then maybe one of us..." she eyed Buffy gently rocking the corpse in her arms... "Then I'll call Giles and let him know it's over..." Fine, Buffy murmured... "Thanks, Wil..." Willow rose and headed down the alley...Dawn remaining by her sister, eyeing her and William...

Willow gone out of earshot, Buffy stared up coolly at her sis...Well?...

"We could have got here sooner...We could have called Willow in sooner...You deliberately waited until it was too late..." Dawn stated flatly... "And I know why...I was there in the club, Buffy...And I heard him...And saw you after..."

Her sister just stared, coldly... "He's in Heaven now..." she repeated...

With her...she did not say...Nor did she have to...

"Tell me, Buffy..." Dawn paused... "Tell me you did it, for him...To let him have peace at last...And...And not because..."

"I loved him..." Buffy replied quietly...Staring fixedly at her sis...

"I want to believe it was unselfish...Pure...I'll try to make myself believe that, Buffy..." Dawn sighed...Looking over to where Willow was helping Illyria to the waiting ambulance... "There's no point in telling Willow or anyone else anyway...It's too late now and he's gone..."

She paused a moment...

"He loved you, Buffy...I'm sure of it...Whatever he said today...Who or whatever she..."

Yeah...Buffy nodded...Holding him tight against her body...Rubbing his cheek with hers...

Dawn walked slowly away, over to Angel, now being placed on a stretcher for transport under Nina's watchful eye...

"I don't really know why, Will..." Buffy whispered... "I hope Dawn is right to believe in me and that I did it for you...To let you have...What you really wanted..."

All I know is...All these weeks since Andrew told me...I was sure you'd come...Though I even stooped to playing around with the Immortal, just to get you to come...I was sure you loved me and you'd come when you were ready...But then, today...After Giles told me what was up here and I couldn't wait any longer and came to you...I heard you in that club...And then I knew...

All you gave me these last years...Everything...Was for her...It was hers... Buffy murmured...Rocking the body of her dead lover in her arms... "I heard you..."

"It was all...For Cicely..."

"Immortal Beloved..." XLVIII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...What the hell, I'll try for 50...I mean the numbers are easier to write after 40 anyway...

I've Got You Under My Skin...Cole Porter...

Play

I've got you under my skin

I've got you deep in the heart of me

So deep in my heart

You're nearly a part of me

I've got you under my skin

I have tried so not to give in

I have said to myself this affair

Never gonna go somewhere

But why should I try to resist

When baby I know so well

That I've got you under my skin

I would sacrifice anything

Come what might

For the sake of holding you near

In spite of a warning voice

That comes in the night

It repeats and it shouts in my ear

Don't you know blue-eyes

You never can win

Use your mentality

Wake up to reality

But each time I do

Just the thought of you

Makes me stop before I begin

'cause I've got you under my skin

I'd sacrifice anything

Come what might

For the sake of having you near

In spite of a warning voice

That comes in the night

It repeats and it shouts in my ear

Don't you know you old fool

You never can win

Use your mentality

Wake up to reality

But each time that I do

Just the thought of you

Makes me stop before I begin

'cause I've got you under my skin

And I love you (when you're) under my skin

LA, morning...Ten hours before the battle in LA...

"What do you want with a company card, Spike?..." Angel eyed his, well...What the hell since they'd be even deader in ten hours or so anyway...Partner...

"My business...The upstanding business of one of the human-souled, mate..." Will shook his head... "I've no plans to welch on you, boss...But you did say to live the day to the max...And I need a little lucre for my entertainment..."

Angel frowned...Then shrugged...Hell, why not...He's earned it and if he socks Wolfram-Hart with a day's orgy...Am I gonna worry?...

"Here..." he signed a form... "Take it to Harmony and have her rush it through..."

But Will...Angel eyed him... "If you are having second thoughts about things...You're still a volunteer..."

"Thanks...I'll be back on time and then some..." Will nodded... "Not that I owe you, poof, considering everything I've done for you recently...Risking both existence and my innocent, non-redemption-needing soul..."

"Yeah...Thanks...Just remember, you're pledged to be there now...And dust if you let us down..."

"Just make sure you don't spend the evening plucking hairs from that overgrown single brow of yours, poof..."

A shabby shop in a run-down part of town...Though why they're always shabby and rundown, Will thought...Considering the owners always have access to tremendous occult power...

"I need an orb of Callos...Price no object..." he eyed the elderly proprietor who'd frowned at the beginning of the request...But, on seeing the presentation of a Wolfram-Hart credit card...Beamed jovially...

Certainly...he smiled, reaching down to a locked box...

"Ummn...You do know how to handle these, son?...Very tricky if you've never played with one..."

Hmmn...Will turned away from the ad for a poetry slam on the near wall...4pm, Riallo St...

"Oh, sure...Say, have you got a piece of paper and a pencil...?"

The elderly...Man?...William eyed him...Yeah, man...Handed a pad and pen over...

"If it's not imposing..." the shopkeeper paused... Will noting down the address and time...

Yeah...

"I was wondering what you were planning to..."

"Yeah...As in, yes...It is imposing..." William frowned...

But if you must know...And as I could use a little advice...

"Teleportation..."

Oh...The old man nodded wisely...Done a bit in my day, his expression saying...

"Any experience with long-distance, pops?..."

Rome, evening...Nine hours before the battle in LA...

Buffy leaned against her chair...A slight chill, despite the warm Roman evening, running yet again down her spine...As if a premonition of something...Some danger, or some thing, coming...

Her companion, the famed Immortal...Image of actor Jude Law (my wife adores him, that's why, ya happy now?)...Smiling at her...Though under his ever gracious manner, a bit annoyed by her distance this evening...

As if she were once again obsessing about the ominous news from her Chairman regarding that ridiculous posturing 'hero', Angelus and the buildup of dark forces in LA...And above all, about that pitiful Billy Idol impersonator, poor man's James Dean in blonde...Cheap, third-rate, not-even-imitation, would-be Shelley...

"My dear..." he tried gently...Hmmn?...she stared...Oh...

"Sorry, Henri...Mind on business, ya know..."

But of course mon cheri...he smiled...

Girl, you are with The Immortal, Count Henri Faucomb d'Vestigy, himself...At least show some modicum of interest...Americans, he sighed...

Still, poor thing has had her share of troubles...Working night and day with her Council and new Slayers coming in from around the globe...One must make allowances...

And, if one could take a neutral view...As befitting a French aristocrat and many-lived man of the world...Rather sweet to see her take on after her lost little fellow so...

Even if dear William's stock had dropped somewhat after, bless him, dear Andrew had let slip the knowledge that William the Bloody, apparently still with human soul, had reappeared in LA...

Knowledge that had plunged her, after a brief moment of disturbing joy...Into a profound depression when the nobody self-professed "poet" and second-string "champion" had failed to make contact...

Though she'd the good sense and tact not to go rushing off to LA...Even when her charming little weasel of a sister had urged it on hearing from Andrew of William's little encounter with the psychotic Slayer Dana...And his subsequent forced hospitalization...Noting sensibly, to his pleased satisfaction, that if William didn't wish to contact her, it was best not to rake old matters up...

Well, pleased satisfaction until it had occurred to him that she might, possibly, one day serve him in similar manner...

Hmmn...Nah...C'mon, The Immortal here...he'd noted to himself...What female of any vaguely humanoid form would be inclined to allow herself...Or even wish to...Forget him...

Heck, Angelus' old mate Darla and his sired 'daughter' Drusilla had continued to try and persuade him to meet up right up until the last couple of years ago...Despite his heavily publicized redemption of sorts a century ago...

But, and in spite of his, The Immortal's, presence...Ever since the news from Mr. Giles the other day that things seemed to be reached a head in LA, and the Senior Partners and their Circle of the Black Thorn to be preparing a major operation...With uncertainty as to Angel and his people's position...She'd been pensive, like this...With an occasional demand to her Chairman that he keep her informed as to William the Bloody's whereabouts...

Frustrating...I thought she'd finally trashed the memory of that fool like an unprofitable dream.

Well, at least the news was promising and with any luck, by this time tomorrow, no William to bother one's head about...

"Buffy..." A voice called softly from behind their table...

"My God, William?..." she turned round, rising...As Will stared at her...Standing with some kind of orb in hand...Giving The Immortal...A rather astounded Immortal...Only the slightest of brief looks as he came up to their table...

"Sorry to intrude, Slayer..." he smiled wanly... "Had some time on my hands and well..."

I...she blinked...

"You look a little under the weather...Things been busy?..." he pleasantly inquired...

Get out...he briefly eyed The Immortal again...Who blinked in intense astonishment...

William?...Buffy stared...

"Mate, I have some business with Ms. Summers...Go enjoy the nightlife or take a tour of the Roman ruins by night..."

I've no time to play round with you, go...he waved Henri off...

Who, to his renewed, more intense astonishment...Found his date not all that put out about their sudden guest's rather impolite attitude...

"Buffy?..." Henri turned to her...

Not of course in the manner of one seeking help against a potential foe...Hey, The Immortal here...

Just...To indicate, in his trademark gracious manner...His shock at such a display...

Well...William sighed at her...Since your friend here doesn't seem to take a hint...And I don't wish to muss my perfect resouled behavior record...

"Come on, girl..." he waved at the dance floor... "Surely I rate a dance..."

"Back in a bit, Henri, sorry..." she hastily mumbled as she got up...Leaving His Benevolence in open-mouthed astonishment...

Well, Maman had warned him, centuries ago...To beware forward and impudent girls...

"Will...Why?..." she began as he led her out to the dance floor...

He raised a hand...In a bit, girl...Lets have it out in a bit...

"For now...Whatever you're willing to let me claim you owe me for last year is settled if you'll just give me one dance...Please, darling..." he looked at her...And seeing her face, nodded to the heavily bribed bandleader who'd been eyeing him...

"I've got you under my skin..." the band's singer and music began...She clung to him...A little desperately, sensing the urgency in his words and manner...

"William..." Ssssh...he hissed...Later...Later, my love...he held her... "Just let me hold you a bit, love...Please..." she letting him pull her close...

"When did you..." she looked up at him finally...He swung her round gently...

"Come on, Buffy..." he gave a gentle smile... "Don't try to tell me Andrew didn't tell the moment he reached Rome..."

I...Well...she began, brokenly...

"I know I should've called or something...I just couldn't work up the nerve til now...Sorry..." he sighed...

"I've got you...Deep in the heart of me..."

"I couldn't lose that moment back in Sunnydale..."

She pulled away a bit... "You said you didn't believe me..."

"So deep in the heart, you're nearly a part of me..."

"Didn't want to hold you to it, girl...I knew it was only the moment speaking...You meant to be kind, I know...But I also know...For just that moment..."

"I thought about coming, calling William...But..."

"I've got you...Under my skin..."

"No hard feelings, love...None...I understand...I do..." he smiled...

"I understand everything now...Cicely..." he eyed her...

I'm sorry...she began...Then blinked at him...Who?...

"You remember..." he told her quietly... "You've known about Cicely a long time now...I know..."

Access to Wolfram-Hart surveillance reports, girl...Very handy...he grinned...

"William...I..."

"She was a Slayer, you're a Slayer...You have her memories...Poor kids..." he sighed, shaking his head...

"I was wrong that night..." he explained... "Saying they wanted to die...My two poor Slayers...It was me who wanted to die, throwing myself at them, hoping they'd be strong enough...And they, with Cicely staring out of them, who wanted to save me, couldn't bring themselves to kill me...Though she wasn't in them as clear as in you...They hesitated out of compassion for me, seeing the night I died all over again...Poor, poor kids..."

How long have you known, Cicely?...he eyed her...

"Months..." Buffy stared at him...No point in trying to evade...And maybe, she sensed...No time...

I've had visions, clearer than anything I'd ever had, ever since Sunnydale...she sighed...And finally, when Dawn and I and Willow were with Giles in London for a while...I found what was left of the old archives...Cicely's Slayer records...

"I see..." he nodded...

"William, I'm so sorry...If I'd known before..."

"Makes no difference, darling...I understand...And I appreciate what you did for me...Giving me a chance to prove myself and all..."

"I did...That moment in the cavern...I did, Will...Please believe me..."

I did...he nodded...I do... "But I know...It was only for the moment..."

She was silent, holding him...Then... "If I'd come to LA...The moment Andy told me..."

If I only...That night in London...she eyed him, tears welling...

"Thank you..." he smiled... "But I didn't come to pressure or accuse, love...Cicely, I'm not here to blame..."

"Just to tell you...I love you...Always...Forever..." he kissed her as the music stopped and the dancers began heading back to their tables...And stepped a bit away from her...

William?...

And, the orb held in his hand glowing...Vanished...

"Immortal Beloved..." XLIX...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...What the hell, I'll try for 50...I mean the numbers are easier to write after 40 anyway...

Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered...

I'm wild again, beguiled again

A simpering, whimpering child again

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I . . .

Could not sleep, would not sleep

Till love came and told me I should not sleep

Bothered and bewildered am I . . .

Lost my heart, so what of it?

He was cold, I agree,

He can laugh and I love it

Although the laugh's on me.

I'll sing to him, each spring to him

And long for the day when I'll cling to him,

Bewitched, bothered, so bewildered am I . . .

LA...Angel's apartment...Night...Just after the victory of his forces...With a little surprise help...Over the Senior Partners...

"Guys..." Angel beamed at his crew... "I'd say tonight was high time we burned up whatever is left of the Wolfram-Hart, LA CEO's expense account...And painted this town...Any other color than red..." he eyed his, Spike's, and Gunn's old blood-covered clothes, piled for disposal in a corner ruefully...

Before the Feds move in to pick over the corporate debris and freeze every account, prior to launching a major investigation...he did not say...

Guys?...he eyed William, Connor, then Illyria who stared back at him...All three exhaustedly sprawled on sofa in front of the large TV...

"It's been a long day and night, poof boy..." William noted... "We're waiting to see if ole Charlie wakes up tonight...Willow said she'd be back, soon as she reported to Giles...And most important..."

"Gilmore Girls on the telly..." he nodded at the screen...

"Gilmore Girls..." Illyria repeated...Eyeing the screen intently...

Connor however, seeing his dad's crestfallen look, attempted to show a little enthusiasm for the idea...

"Fellas...And lady..." Angel sighed... "We just survived the biggest of our apocalyptic battles...Wiped out...With a little help from Willow Rosenberg..." (Little?...We were all about to terminate when the mighty red Wiccan destroyed the front ranks of our foes and turned the tide for us...Illyria eyed him, her ever more Fred enhanced nature barely restraining her impulse to answer with a harsh correction...)...Our greatest enemies and Evil's best..."

"Thanks to Willow we know Wes is safe and happy with Fred's spirit in Heaven..."

Illyria sighed a very Fred sigh audibly...Will...and Connor...Frowning a bit at the boss' thoughtlessness...Not that Illyria hadn't expressed herself as very pleased for her Wes...Just...The poor kid...

"I even got the dragon home and ready to be stuffed and suitably mounted..." he beamed again at the thought...Eyeing the spot on his wall he'd selected as perfect for the head...

"Rory!...Not the polka dots, girl..." William called to the screen... "Indeed I would veto the black dots as well..." Illyria nodded, staring...It'll be ok, Gran'll straighten her out, Will noted...

"People...Gunn's fine but the docs say he's sure to be out till tomorrow...Willow may not be back from Giles' for hours..."

"Besides this is a tape..." Angel frowned at the screen... "You can watch it anytime...Come on, we'll go and celebrate...I have the whole night mapped out for us..."

William frowned but eyed Illyria who gave a Fredian smile...C'mon the big lug just wants to show his thanks, her Fredish expression said...Connor eyeing both...Guys...I think Dad's really up for this one, Please...

"Fine...Lets paint..." Will sighed, staggering to his feet... "Twenty-four hour party people that be us..."

Just as soon be out on the town as here when Red returns...he noted quietly...Angel eyeing him...

"Don't suppose you'd care to make it a real blast and jet over to New York while we still have a jet to jet in?..."

"I have everything set..." Angel frowned... "And we need to keep town in case Charlie does wake tonight or Willow comes back..."

Right...Will sighed...

Back to tell us how pleased Buffy is she was able to help us out...And how great things are going for her with his Buffoonishness...And maybe a polite remark or two as to how I'm doing...

Great...

"Have the limo brought round..." Angel spoke into his cell phone... "Yes, this is Mr. Angel...Yes, I am still CEO...In fact, I am the only surviving member of the senior staff...And therefore, the only person left authorized to sign your paycheck..."

I thought you'd see the light...he noted...Spread the word around for anybody who'd like to remain gainfully employed here...

"William..." Will eyed the lad coolly...A bit soon for first-name basis, lad... "...Ummn...Mr...Uh.." Connor looked at him...

"Walthrop..." Will replied... "William Soames..."

Really?...Angel stared...Hmmn, never did ask him...

"Mr. Walthrop...Aren't you kinda...I mean after what Ms. Rosenberg said when she came..."

Illyria, risen to check her Fred dress and appearance in the bathroom, turning to eye Will as well...

Buffy sending her and all...Connor paused...

"She heard what was up via the Council and sent Red...Kind of the Slayer to lend us her big gun..."

"But Ms. Rosenberg said...Ms. Summers hadn't known until today when Mr. Giles..."

William waved a hand...Please...

"Andrew Wells?...Keep his mouth shut on something like my resurrection for more than five minutes?..."

"Could be she didn't ask him..." Connor noted... "If she never asked about you, thinking you were dead...Ummn...Deader..." he corrected...

Hmmn...

Nah...he shook his head... "See, kid...Andrew told us in Rome she still loved us...Both..."

Right...Angel nodded solemnly...Illyria, in very Fred mode, frowning at him...Geesh...That's a bit cruel, Angel...Stomping out the renewed hope before the poor guy even...Hmmn...Willow...she sighed...

Willow, who'd proven, by seance, at Angel's anxious request, that Wesley was safe and happy with Fred in Heaven...And even, not a little pleased by the turn of events, given that they might have been separated for many years had he not, as her Winifred memories suggested, "kicked the bucket..."

Though what kicking a container often made of wood or plastic and usually used to transport waste or essential materials, or contain cleaning solutions, should have to do with the events of his tragic and...Internally and for as long as a former demon queen had existence on this wretched globe, lamented death...?

"Geesh, just an expression..." she suddenly said aloud, Fred side to the rescue...Startling the others for a moment... "Sorry, we're havin' a discussion in here..." she giggled a bit...

"I look ok, right?...Should I wear somethin' more formal?..." The guys eyed each other...That last blast from the Partners really brought the Fred out...Unless, knowing it wouldn't keep Fred's spirit from Wes now, she'd deliberately decided to cave to the human fragments to fit in better...Or a little of both...An idea Connor had suggested to Angel as they'd staggered back to his place after the battle, noting her extreme burst of Freddish behavior, including post-fight girl talk with Willow, who'd been pleased to see Ms. Burkle clearly ok, at first, til Angel explained, and intense mothering towards her wounded boys, especially Charlie...

"If she thought you were dead and gone...What else would she say?..." Connor eyed Will... "Especially if she meant to be nice about the them not trusting Dad after he took over Wolfram-Hart thing..."

Well...

Nah, ridiculous...Summers sent Willow to help us out...Gesture of an concerned old friend who felt a tad guilty regards their treatment of ole Angel and kind at that...That's it...All...he thought...

But Willow did say she was coming...No...He pushed the thought down...To see her old ex- and the other guy who died for her were ok and the world properly safe, if she came at all...That's it, nothing more...

"I think it's best we leave my miserable excuse for a love life for a bit as a conversational topic, lad..."

"Limo's here..." Angel called... "Lets get moving...And see what the night has to offer the world's greatest heroes..."

They stared at him...All looking rather worn and battered...Illyria with Fredish instinct desperately trying to straighten her hair a bit...Puzzled to find herself wishing for a hair stylist...Or at least a hair brush...

"I do mean you guys, ya know..."

C'mon, a little enthusiasm, fellas...he sighed... "We're gonna have a great time...On our enemies' stored nickels, wrested from the oppressed..."

"Just as along as we don't wind up you know where...I do not want to spend the rest of tonight emoting my guts out, thank you..." William noted...

"Leave it to me..." Angel waved a hand... "We're gonna have a ball..."

After all, tomorrow we gotta start trying to pull the wreckage back together...Lets feast on the remains while we can...

The Windows Lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel...

"This is quite a place..." Will stared round...Illyria, in Fred form, giggling a bit nervously, gasped... "Is that Julia Roberts?...Oh! Gosh!..." They stared at her... "Yeah, great place..." she giggled again... "Ummn...Sorry, guys...Not used to such a fancy place..."

At least not for 10,000 years...her Illyria side kicking in... "When I stayed at the Temple of Isis...Which was indeed quite the hot spot then..."

"Yeah...?" Connor grinned... "But did they have HDTV in every room...?"

I'm dressed ok, right?...she eyed them...

"Beautiful...As Wes would say if he could be here..." William gallantly noted...She shyly smiling...

Aw...William...

Then looked away, a tad downcast...

Whatever he says about his Slayer beloved, after what the wiccan girl told them...Not much hope...

And while he wasn't quite a Wesley...Considering Wes was lost to her other self forever, he might've done...

Rats...And he did like me, I know it...

Course if I went to Rome later today, or lay in wait at the airport...Assuming Willow's right and she is coming...And killed his Slayer...

I mean she has failed him...And in my day, Death was the appropriate punishment for a lover's failure or betrayal...

As it was for stealing...For lying...Giving the wrong look to one of the elite...Crossing a road when one of us was passing by...

"First stop..." Angel beamed... "Lets pull up to the bar, enjoy some music, and have ourselves a few drinks..."

"Sounds peachy...First stop, eh...?" Will eyed him... "Well, just so long as we don't wind up...You know where..."

"Care to dance, Ms. Illyria...?" Connor asked politely...

A cell phone buzzed...Angel pulling out and taking a seat as Will moved to the bar...Connor and a rather nervous Illyria moving to the dance floor... "Is that Brad Pitt?.." she pointed...Think so, Connor agreed...

"Angel...Yeah...What?...Whatdaya mean the European accounts have been wiped clean?...Oh...You mean our European bank accounts have been cleaned out...Right...Well, are there any leads, have you called the police...?" William returned, bearing something fancy for Illyria, a ginger ale for Connor, and six boilermakers for himself and boss...

Right...We're Wolfram-Hart...We don't call the police...We buy them off...

"Well, we do now...We've been cleansed, our Evil Partners purged and from now on...What?...Oh...Books to the present don't reflect that?...Lots of illegal transactions?...Deals that won't bear scrutiny with the Partners not around to cover?...Right...Ok...Well, you said you think you know who?...Our own European vice president of accounting looted our accounts?..." William eyed him...

Right, Wolfram-Hart...Our junior executives are trained in that...And he was one of the Senior Partners top men...Not exactly inclined to care if I make out well financially after their defeat...Ok, I get the picture...Angel sighed... "Well, try and get me the details of what's still left, will ya?...Remember your job is on the line...Literally...Ok...What?...Who?..."

Interpol?...And the Italian police?...

"Why are they?...Oh...Evil law firm and multinational collapses on global scale, fleeing execs loot all accounts and leave paper trail...Got it, right, thanks...Ok...Well, Brigsby...I promote you to CEO, Europe...Hold the police and any other investigators off as long as you can...And fax me any info you've got..."

He closed the phone...Will staring... "Things going to pot in Europe?"...he asked...

"Well...We had to expect some of the boys would try to grab what they could in the fall..." Angel sighed...

"Interpol...?" Will eyed him...

"Well, had to expect ramifications from the collapse...We'll make out ok, I'll handle it..." Angel waved a hand...

Right, poof...You and your what?...Equivalent of a sixth-grade education?...Will thought...

Still, we must have quite a nice bit stashed away in the corners...Not to mention prime real estate, etc...Unless our financial wizard here manages to blow all that too...

"Well...Lets leave business till tomorrow..." Angel grabbed a boilermaker... Yeah, by then, no business to worry about...Will sighed to himself...

"So..." Angel eyed him, after a nervous glance to where Connor and Illyria were attempting to dance...Illyria weaving between sheepishly apologetic Fred nods to trampled fellow dancers and grimly threatening Illyrian glares to those nudging each other at the rather hapless and oddly matched pair...

"You dance divinely, Connor..." Illyria gave him a smile...

That was correct procedure, yes?...she hissed...It wasn't a very strong Winifred memory...

Just fine, perfect...he nodded... "Thanks...And so do you..." Aw, Connor...She blushed...

"So..." Angel continued...As William grinned at him...She's not gonna run off with him...Yet...Dad... "You didn't believe Willow?...About Buffy not knowing...?"

"You were with me in Rome, you pointy-haired poof...Andrew sure didn't sound like she didn't know...And you know how long our Andy would hold up under Slayer interrogation..."

"Unless Connor's right...And she never asked him..."

"Giles knew..."

"But he had good reason not to tell her...From his pov..."

Will eyed him with a wry smile... "You suddenly seem anxious to push me and Buffy together, boss...Nina getting antsy every time she hears Summers' name mentioned...?"

"To keep the Immortal from getting her, I'd even back you, Spike...Though it would clean us out, trying to overcome the drawback of your bad poetry with a little glamour..."

"Hey?...The slam crowd this afternoon gave me a standing O..."

"And speak of the...Wonderful, beautious, divine...Nina..." Angel waved at the just entered Nina...Hey, fellas!...she waved, hurrying over...

"Angel...Hey, Spike...You made it!...Oh, guys!..." she hugged Angel, then William...

"Obviously, fur girl..." William nodded...Angel glaring...Watch the cracks with my lady, there...His dark look saying...

"He's just doing his routine, honey..." Nina patted her beau, taking a seat... "Connor, Fred!...Hey!..." They waved from the dance floor...

"She's still Illyria, right?..." she hissed... "Just taking Fred's form?..."

Yeah...But a little more Winifred post battle...The demon front line gave her some pretty hefty electrical shocks...Angel noted...

"And Wes...Gone?..." Nina sighed...Yeah...Angel nodded, looking a bit less eager... "But Willow Rosenberg reached him by seance just after the battle...He's safe in Heaven with Fred...Her soul..."

Oh, that's great...Nina beamed...Oh...She looked out to where Illyria was attempted to follow Connor's dance instructions...

"Poor thing...She did love him, Angel...Whatever she is, that was obvious..."

"We'll do what we can for her...And she seemed happy to know Wes was happy..."

Unselfish love...Nina nodded thoughtfully... Not bad from a demon just recovered from homicidal mania...

"What will she do now?..."

"She wants to go on playing Fred...For the parents' sake...Fred's spirit seemed ok with it...It should give her a little grounding..."

Hmm-hmmn...she nodded again...And eyed William, now on boilermaker three...

"And hows about you, blondie?...Are you finally gonna make tracks to Rome?..."

"There's nothing in Rome for me...Except as a tourist..." he shook his head firmly...She frowning at him...

"Besides...Willow says Buffy is coming..." Angel noted...

Whoa...Nina stared...Then a peeved tone... "And knowing you guys were in danger, she couldn't make it in time to help you?...See William before he might've died?..."

Though I don't have much sympathy for you, pal...she eyed Will... "Letting her hang like that if she knows...And not letting her know if she didn't..."

Great way to prove your undying Undead love...she frowned...

"She wasn't the one who summoned me back...Who corporealized me...Who gave a damn if I lived or died..."

"All pretty difficult if the lady didn't know..." "Andy must've told her, if she didn't know already...And why didn't she have Willow try to reach me if..."

"I'm not angry, though...I don't mean to make it seem like that..." he hastily noted...

But I am not getting my hopes up...I couldn't bear it...In fact, I think I might not wanna be around when she shows...If she shows...

"Will..." Nina frowned...Angel eyeing her... Will rising..."Lets let it rest, girl...I'm up for another round, what would you like?...Boss, more of the same?..."

Nina watched him, then looked at Angel...Who bore a rather noncommital expression... "You're not encouraging him in this?...If she is coming, this might be their last chance...If she cares..."

He'll stick...Angel shook his head... "He's just trying to get himself ready for when she starts telling us about her latest...And gives him the 'cookies' speech..."

Uh-huh...She eyed him...Hmmn...

Next stop...The Ritz-Carleton...And dinner...

Attentive waiters scurrying round their table...Illyria, hand to mouth blanching at the menu prices...

Though a little Illyrian outrage seeped through... "I would've roasted the cook alive who overcharged me like this in the old days..." she noted to Connor...Who was a little bug-eyed, looking at the menu himself...

"You sure we can still afford this, boss?...The company having been blasted apart and all?..." Will eyed Angel...Who waved a hand... "Wolfram-Hart's collapse'll take months to impact...The company accounts I have direct control of alone should see us through to a new place, not to mention the real estate, the European and Asian branches...Don't worry..."

His cell phone buzzed...Will staring intently, Nina sympathetically watching him...

"Mickelson?...Glad to hear you're still with...What?...When?...Well, set up a meeting with the insurance companies for 10 am tomorrow...Better make it one of the ground level conference rooms, my office is on one of the unsafe floors since last night..."

What's the status of our US accounts, can you give me a general...? Oh...That bad?...

Connor looked at Will who rolled eyes...Might not want to give up that phony family of yours just yet kid...If you want to finish college...

"How's about the...Bahamian accounts...Really?...Vickers, eh?...Got it all?..."

Told him he should've fired that guy...Vickers, a little weasel of a middle manager in Accounting...William explained to the others...

Vickers, yes...Illyria nodded... "I remember him...I wished him dead on sight...The true face of a traitor..."

"Well, we still have our real estate holdings...Lets be grate...What?...No, I didn't know...Who authorized that?...Well, what didn't the Partners mortgage to supply their army?...Hmmn...Our blasted place here, right...And the HQ in Rome?...Well, that's something...Look, Mickelson, go though what's left and have a report for me on my desk tomorrow...What?...Who?...No, no one from the SEC has called me...Why?..."

Ahem...A cough caused the group but for Angel, still occupied on cell to turn...One of their waiters and a frowning, well-dressed man standing beside him...

"Pardon me, our manager would like to speak with whoever...?" the waiter looked at the credit card in his hand... "Mr...Angel?"

Him...They all pointed...

"Sir...May I speak with you a moment...?" the manager eyed Angel...Hmmn...?

"What do you think?..." Illyria eyed Nina, Connor, and William...As they awaited Angel's return...

"I'd guess we may be glad we didn't order dinner yet..." Will frowned...

"You think there's something wrong?..." Nina asked, anxiously... "Fellow on the phone mentioned the SEC..." Will noted... "I'd guess the shit is beginning to hit..."

"Maybe I'd better go see..." Connor rose... "I do have my father's card if Dad's having some trouble..."

Angel and Connor returned, the manager and waiters in tow...

"Alls well, guys..." Angel smiled... "Just a temporary problem with one of my corporate cards, probably due to some damage to the office server during that minor earthquake tonight..."

"Please excuse any inconvenience..." the manager nodded...

"Lets eat..." Angel beamed...He turned to a waiter...

"Connor?..." Nina hissed... "You didn't..." Nah...he shook his head...Dad called somebody in London...Some guy named Giles?...Guess he got it sorted out...

Giles?...William blinked...

The phone buzzed again...

"Mickelson?...What's...What?...The who?...From where?...The SEC...Tonight?...Who've they got on this one...Mulder and Scully?..." he fumed at the phone...

Oh...The FBI is involved, eh?...Already?...Fast work...he noted...

Ummn...Illyria eyed Nina...Nina eyed Connor...Connor eyeing William...

"Yeah..." Angel sighed to the phone... "It is inspiring to see them working so efficiently..."

"Well, tell them I can see them at 9 tomorrow...And get me those records of our remaining holdings..." he hung up...

"Looks like tomorrow will be a busy day...Lets make this one a good one, fellas...And ladies..." he raised a glass...

"To the greatest team on the face of..." the phone buzzed...Excuse me, Angel frowned, pulling away from the table...

Uh-oh...Nina sighed...

"Giles...Hey, thanks for...Yeah...Yeah...I see...Now wait a minute...I can't let our London office go for that low a...Hmmn...That much damage?...Well, look, I'm gonna hafta have the place reappraised...No, I'm not backing out of the deal, but Giles come on...I'm trying to keep people employed here...I can't just sell everything off at bargain basement...Well, lets talk tomorrow...Your people can call my people..."

Whoever that remaining 'people' is by tomorrow...William noted...

You guys are gonna stay with him, right?...Til this gets sorted?...Nina eyed the others anxiously...

Course...Mutual nods...

'Sorted out' as in an eight-to-ten stretch in a minimum security prison...Will thought...Though with time off for heroic behavior and a few strings pulled, probably no worse than probation in the end...

I warned him not to sign everything they put in front of him...

"And thanks for letting Buffy know about our sit...Tell her Willow was...Oh, great...Sure...Hey, Willow...When are you...? What?...Oh...When?...Where?...There?..." Angel eyed the gang... "Ok...We'll be there...Yes...We're on our way..." he closed the phone...

Hey, guys...he called to the gang...Willow's on her way...Will meet us in an hour...

"What about...Ummn..." William spoke up, an anxious tone...

"She didn't mention Buffy...Sorry..." Angel shook his head...

"Where do we meet Willow?..." Nina asked... "I'm anxious to meet her for the first time..." she smiled...

And considering she's been in my Angel's mind, very grateful she's a lesbian she did not say...

"Just so long as it's not...You know where..." Will sighed...

Ummn...Angel paused a moment... Then was interrupted by the first course's arrival...

"Sorry..." Angel eyed William as they entered...You know where...An hour later...

"Slight change of plans...Willow wanted to meet here..."

Right, Will sighed... "Just, please nobody go up tonight..." he looked at the rest who nodded...No one anxious to start spilling guts tonight...Having already spilled enough that evening...Even if mainly the guts of enemies...

They sat... "When's Red gonna show anyway...?" Will began...And another cell buzz...

"What?...What?...Whatdaya mean my personal accounts are frozen?..." Angel shouted into the phone...Oh...Right...I'm acting head of Wolfram-Hart...

Well, now I know why my ATM card didn't work just now outside...

A waiter came over...A well-dressed man and woman...Looking slightly familiar to the group...Behind him..."...?" the waiter paused, eyeing Angel...

"These folks wanted a word..."

The others stared...Where have I seen these two...? Nina hissing to William...

"Mr. Liam Angel, of Wolfram-Hart?..." the man noted...The woman eyeing them all carefully...

"We're from the Securities and Exchange Commission..." he presented credentials...Angel eyeing them...Hmmn...

"I'm Agent Scudder...This is Agent Mully..." the woman frowned... "Just kidding...It eases the tension..." the man grinned at the startled faces... "Everyone sees the resemblance...I'm Drake, this is Ms. Callahan..."

We'd like to ask you a few questions, sir if we may...

"I thought I'd set up an appointment with you guys tomorrow..." Angel frowned...

"That was another matter sir..." Ms. Callahan eyed him... "This concerns your own holdings..."

Nina looked at Connor...

"Regarding your sale of Wolfram-Hart shares this morning...Before tonight's events..."

Yeah, that minor earthquake was a tragedy...But I hear no people were harmed but my assistants Mr. Wyndham-Price and Mr. Gunn...

Uh-huh...Drake nodded... "We understand you're a known world-saving hero, Mr. Angel...Our questions concern why you sold your shares this morning...Before the firm's collapse this evening?..."

Angel?...Nina stared...Dad?...Connor blinked... Sounds very clever to make such use of advance information, good strategy...Illyria noted to herself...

Mate...Will shook his head silently...After what happened to Martha?...

"There's Ms. Rosenberg..." Connor pointed...A smiling Willow and Kennedy approaching their table...Hey guys!...Ummn...Willow paused, remembering...

"Sorry again about Wesley..."

"We understand that Wolfram-Hart was Evil, Inc, Mr. Angel...And worthy of destruction...But that's not our department..." Drake eyed Angel as they sat... "A lot of people had funds invested in your firm, Mr. Angel..." Ms. Callahan was likewise eyeing him coldly..."They're taking heavy losses...And yet you seemed to have avoided that..."

Based on your inside information...she stared at him...

"Ummn...It seemed like a good idea at the time..." Angel looked at them innocently...

Something wrong?...Willow hissed to Nina...Seeing the man and woman in suits with Angel...And the somewhat subdued faces of the others...

Hey, William...Long time no tell us you're alive...Kennedy mock frowned at him...Hitting his shoulder...

Oops, sorry...she helped him up... "Forget that Slayer strength sometimes, even now..."

"SEC investigators..." Nina hissed back to Willow... "I think we may be in for a little bit of it..."

Now?...Willow sighed, looking to where William was hesitantly trying to ask Kennedy...Without actually asking...If maybe...Someone else...Might just possibly be...

"Lemme handle it..." the wiccan frowned... "Magics...?" Nina stared... Nah, Willow shook her head...Pulling her own cell phone... "Giles has access to governments around the world now as our new Council Chairman...I'll have him call about this...At least get 'em off him for a coupla days til he can get things in order..."

Hey, Giles...she spoke into the phone...

"There wasn't enough power for her to come in any case..." Kennedy was explaining to William...

But she is coming to LA...If she didn't get here already...

"Here, Angel..." Willow handed over the phone... "Giles has their boss on conference call..." He gratefully passed the phone...Thanks, Willow...Over to Drake...Who with his partner were shortly involved in a discussion on the phone...

"Say...Who the hell is singing?..." Angel turned to stare at the stage... "Of everyone I've ever heard here, she's gotta be the wor..." his jaw dropped...

They all stared up at the stage...

(Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered...Opening with your author's lyric)

Play

"Round and round we've danced together...Says he loves me, doesn't show...

I tell him no future for us...Year later I can't let go..."

"I'm wild again, beguiled again

A simpering, whimpering child again

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I . . .

Could not sleep, would not sleep

Till love came and told me I should not sleep

Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I . . ."

Buf...William choked...Staring at Buffy on stage...As she stared back...

"Lost my heart, so what of it?

He was cold, I agree,

He can laugh and I love it

Although the laugh's on me.

I'll sing to him, each spring to him

And long for the day when I'll cling to him,

Bewitched, bothered, so bewildered am I . . ."

Hey guys!...Dawn and Andrew came over from the front...Grinning at William, eyes glued on stage...

"Well?...Jerk...Go on up..." she poked him... "And Willow'd better be right about there being no one else...Cause sis has been in a horrible state since Giles told us yesterday..."

"Greetings most glorious victors..." Andrew bowed solemnly...Meet the Sphinx...Dawn frowned at him... "We call him 'the Sphinx' now...Moron..."

A pledge of secrecy is a pledge, Dawn...Andrew noted, nodding to William who was still staring... "Yeah, right..." she glared...

Still, alls well that ends well...Kinda feel sorry for His Pomposity though, he took it kinda hard when she dumped him this morning before we caught the first plane...Dawn noted to the others as Will, standing hesitated...

"But...When your guy suddenly resurrects and you learn he's gun shy...You can't fool around, ya know?..."

Buffy nervously staring back at Will from the stage, likewise silent...

"You knew..." Nina eyed Angel...Whose attention was divided between the SEC agents on phone and Buffy...

Yeah...Buf called...She was terrified he'd run before she could get here, but Willow had to go the teleport route to save us...Begged me to keep him busy till she could...he gave her a grin...

"Stop staring at her and go!..." Dawn whacked William... "Or she'll sing another verse..."

He stumbled toward the stage...

"You might have helped her a little with the singing...This meaning so much to her..." Kennedy noted to Willow...Who frowned...

"I did..." she sighed... "You should've heard her without my help..."

Thirty minutes...And four duets later...

"Liam?..." Nina hissed... "Do something...Cause if they do one more, I'm committing suicide..."

Though he is pretty good, actually...she noted...Smiling at Dawn as Angel frowned...

"Buffy...?" At the stage, Willow tried a pull as she and Will geared up for their next...Hmmn?...Buffy vaguely answered, not turning away from her beloved's equally locked love stare...

"Angel has a great room lined up for you guys at the Four Seasons...And the minister is waiting over there..."

Minister?...William asked, blinking slightly...Yeah...Buffy murmured wanly...I got one standing by...

Great...he nodded vaguely...Neither able to tear themselves away...Hmmn...Noting the anxious stares from their table and from the general audience...Help, please!...Willow climbed onto the stage...

"Mr. Angel...?" A waiter came over...

"What is it now, FBI at the door for me?..." "Uh...Well, yes they are...But I was sent to ask if you might possibly persuade the Slayer...For the love of God's mercy?...And to prevent a last ditch, suicide attack by several of our patrons?..."

We're trying...Angel sighed...

"William?..." Willow tried... "Lets get out of here and get you guys hitched before Buf has that usual case of the jitters..."

Yeah, lets go...After just one more song...Buffy nodded wanly...Then blinked... My 'usual case of the'...what?...

"Just one more...Then we go..." William nodded wanly... "And...Get hitched..." he smiled...

Right...Willow gave up...

"Yep, just one more...Cause she sings...Like an angel..." Will smiled...Still lost, gazing into those deep greens...

I mean an angel, not...You know... "I know, darling..." Buffy smiled...Still lost in her gaze as well...

Oh, please...Dawn now at the stage in desperate support of Willow's efforts to save the mercy-begging audience...

"She sings like he writes poetry..." she hissed to Willow as the wiccan descended...Just one more, folks...she brightly noted to the sighing crowd...A number putting heads...Several putting more than one or literally...Into their hands...

"I heard that..." Buffy eyed her sis...

"Hey, I signed off on the vamp brother-in-law thing..." Dawn glared...

"Immortal Beloved..." L...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...What the hell, I'll try for 50...I mean the numbers are easier to write after 40 anyway...

Rome...Early afternoon...Two weeks after Angel's group's victory over the Senior Partners...

(Really more of an endurance thing after the dragon went down as the Hell boys couldn't risk a lengthy stay above ground and detection by human authorities...Hey, magics and superpowers are all very well, but nukes are nukes...And with that right wing maniac in the White House, hell...Who knew what kind of weapons he might sanction against them?...)

Hmmn...No answer to the third pull at the antique door buzzer to the Summers' apartment...

Well, one may as well enjoy the Roman afternoon sun...Strolling unhurriedly on a beautiful, clear late spring day...

Rather a new...Or at least, a long forgotten sensation...

And a fine cue to play one's new favorite song as one walked, seeing the sights of Rome...Now that one had time and peace enough to rediscover one's love of such beautiful things...

Such a wonderful world really...As dear Mr. Louie Armstrong would sing...And currently, via cd headphones was...

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

(George Weiss / Bob Thiele)

Play

[ I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom for me and you

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world]

To see all these things in the light of day, feel the sun on my face again...After so long, so very long...

[ I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world]

To feel no rage or bloodlust in my heart again...My head clear of all the evil that gripped me...

Though I did want to kill that hotel clerk this morning who shook his head and shrugged, waving hands when my shower water failed, God forgive me...

But even humans...Humans like me again...Have such thoughts...

And perhaps...That which held me so long...Sprang from the darkest of my thoughts...

Perhaps...But even so...It was never the sum of what I was...I will not let it be the sum of what I am...Never again...

[ The colours of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces of people going by

I see friends shakin' hands, sayin' "How do you do?"

They're really saying "I love you"]

"Hello there...Beautiful flowers you have..." "Si...The finest in Rome..." The florist beamed...Offering a rose...

"Oh, thanks...Thank you so much..." No, no...the man smilingly refused the offer of money...

"For you...On this beautiful day..." he nodded...

"Yes, it is...As is your rose...Thank you..."

Yes...A beautiful day...And at last, thanks be to God and my dear friends I can experience it once more...

[ I hear babies cryin', I watch them grow

They'll learn much more than I'll ever know

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world]

And now when I breathe...It means something again...

And when I listen hard enough...I can hear my heart beat once again in my chest...Feel my pulse racing with joy or slow with sorrow...

Oh, Mother...Mother I am alive again...Father I am free again, thanks to my friends...And in God's good time, I will see you both again...

[Yes, I think to myself, what a wonderful world

Oh yeah]

Yeah, Louie...It's a wonderful, wonderful world...

Well, there's the Summers' building again...Surely Giles is right and Buffy and Dawn will be home this afternoon...But, however long it takes, excepting an hour or so for my four o'clock engagement...After all, time for me to start showing a little gratitude...And it is a beautiful afternoon...

"Yes...Hello?...It's me again...Yes, here to see the tenants in 3A...The Miss Summers?...I'm afraid they weren't home before...Thank you..."

And there's their door...Well...

Well...Here goes nothing as the Americans say...Hope the new Chairman of the Watchers' managed to get through the Rome telephone system and reach the ladies... Hmmn...I think I hear...

The door opened suddenly...Dawn starting an automatic "Hel..." Followed by a shocked silence...

Hmmn...I'm think they have mice in this building...

"...Ahhhhh!...Get away!..." Dawn screamed, backing from the door... "Buffy!..." she shrieked...

"Dawn...Miss Summers...Please...!...It's all right, really..."

Guess that answers my question about Mr. Giles reaching them...

"Buffy!..." Dawn screamed again, a sound of a desperately hurrying Slayer coming to them...

Buffy appeared stake in hand...And stopped, open-mouthed...

"Buffy!...Wait, please!...I'm not what you think...Look..." A quick back away to the open hallway window... "You can see I'm standing in sunlight...I'm human again!...Please, listen to me!..."

Human?...Dawn stared...

You?...Human...?

Buffy held her stake at the ready...But noting the bright sunshine flooding through the open window...And the cross on a necklace now held out to her...

"Human...?"

"Yes, Buffy..."

How...?

"It's a lie...A trick..." Dawn eyed her sis... "We can't trust..." "I understand your fears, Dawn...But I swear to you, it's true...Call Giles in London, he'll confirm it...I've already seen him...He was supposed to call you..."

"Right...You killed and transformed Giles in London and now he'll say anything..." Dawn frowned...

"Dawn...Sunlight, cross..." Buffy noted...

"How...?" she repeated...

"The love of a good man..." Drusilla smiled wanly... "Well, two good men, actually...As William offered Angel the chance first after the Guardian of the Prophecy offered it to him after their battle with the Partners...Before persuading him that I was the innocent one who needed the Prophecy to be saved and so was...After they cursed me, the Guardian agreed..."

William...? Buffy whispered...Dawn looking at her...

"As I set the process in motion that led to William's decisive participation in defeating the Senior Partners' last chance of victory..." Dru looked down...

William?...Buffy stared... "William's dead!...I mean..." she waved a hand... "Beyond dead..."

"He's in Los Angeles, Buffy...Very much in this world...To my blessed fortune...Praise be to God for his gracious mercy..."

William?...Dawn stared...Alive?...

Well, you know...

"He's back..." Buffy murmured...Staring at the gently smiling Drusilla...Who nodded quietly...

"Are you wearing a nun's...?" Dawn asked... "Habit, we call it...Yes..." Dru beamed... "But I'm only a novice yet..."

"Thanks to William and Angel's compassion I'm at last to have another chance to dedicate my existence to God...And to have a chance to make amends to all the souls...I..."

"Oh!..." Buffy gasped suddenly... "Why didn't he let me know?...How long has he been back?..."

"Since September...And you know why, Buffy..." Dru eyed her...The Slayer frowning at one of the very few she'd never quite been able to defeat...

"I told him I loved him...Why didn't he..." "He's afraid, dearest..." The girls stared at her...

Hmmn...Another gay, now thing?...Dawn wondered...

"Sorry...Dearest is one of our Victorianisms from my day...Didn't mean to step in your personal space..." an apologetic sigh...

"Anyway...Will is afraid, Buffy...That's why he didn't come...Or stay to see you when he was in Rome..."

He was...here...?...Buffy blinked, then frowned darkly...That little...Hmmn...Wait a mo...

Uh-oh...

"Ummn...When was he in Rome?..."

"He knows about the Immortal..." Drusilla eyed her...

Oops...Dawn looked at the ceiling...

"That was business...I was trying to get some info for the Council..."

I staked him last week...she noted...Phew...she thought...

Hope Will buys that one... Dawn thought...Don't think the truth...Caught His Benevolence trying to compare vamp girls within a hour of Buffy...And overheard his schemes for taking Buffy to be his ally/enslaved siree...Would not quite do just now...

Though it did start out as work, that's true...

"A very poor choice of boyfriends, Miss Summers..." Dru noted, a bit sternly... "Glad to have seen his destruction in a vision...A terrible creature, skilled in deception, worse in some ways than...It..."

It?...Dawn eyed Buffy... "Angelus..." Dru explained, quavering just a bit at the name on her lips...

"And if I remember him, rather a pompous jackass once the...Ummn..." Dru blushed a bit...

Other things...Are dealt with...

Yeah, yeah...I don't make good romantic choices...Buffy sighed... "Everyone's been doing their best to remind me these past few..."

"You made two excellent choices..." Dru smiled... "Or maybe three...Was there another beau back at Sunnydale?...I seem to remember a very nice tall boy in black..."

Yeah...Buffy nodded curtly...Then eyed Dru intently... "Where?..."

Still in LA...Dru noted...And has no idea I've come, in part, to see if I could speak to you...But him being so clearly desperate, so devoted to you...

"So scared shitless to see you..." she grinned...

"He's all right?...We heard about the battle...I would have gone if Angel'd let me know..."

"He's fine...Helping Angel to reorganize what's left of the firm to fight evil...And try to be one of the more ethical multinationals..."

Angel and Spike trying to run a law firm and multinational corporation...Without the Senior Partners backing Angel up...I'll go to LA just to see that...Dawn thought...

"He doesn't...He didn't believe..." Buffy eyed Dru...Who now stepped into the room and out quickly...

Don't mean to be rude...she smiled at Dawn... "Just giving a last proof...No invite required..."

"Well, come in and stay a while..." Dawn smiled back, offering a hand...And led her to a chair, she and Buffy taking the sofa...

Dru turned to the pensive Buffy... "I think he does believe, Buffy...He wants to, has lived on it, I'm sure...But he's afraid it was only for the moment...And..." she paused delicately...

"Something to drink?..." Dawn suggested, kindly offering a moment alone... "Coffee, tea...?"

"Tea would be heavenly, thanks..." Dru nodded...

"...only for the moment..." Buffy murmured... "I've been...God...A wreck all year, thinking of him and how he died, thinking...But you say he did believe?...At the least at the moment, I..."

She sighed before Dru could answer... "And why should he believe?...I didn't have Willow pull him back...I could have made her do it...Wait..."

"Andrew was in LA...Did Angel?...Did Will...Hide...?"

Ummn...Well...Dru paused...

"I'll kill him..." Buffy whispered grimly... "That little geek playing mystery man..." "Buffy, Will made him promise not to tell..."

"I mean William, too..." the Slayer fumed...And burst into tears...

Dawn returning to find the interesting sight of Buffy sobbing in Dru's arms, Dru in habit stroking her hair...

"He loves you, Buffy...Truly..."

"I didn't...The Immortal...All his talk about loving me, finding his way back through me...I...It made me think of him...I..."

"He'll understand...Buffy, he's been trying so hard, just to be worthy of you, if any chance ever came..."

Moron...Buffy pulled away... "Who cares about his damned romantic quests?...He shoulda come here, first day...Damn him!...Little cowardly..." she paused...

Ummn...I don't mean the damn thing literally...she hastily added... "No offense, Dru...But you could be a vengeance demon trying to fool me..."

"None taken, a wise precaution...But it's ok..." They sat...

"So...He's got...Had a string of girls in LA I suppose...?" she asked, in a desperately causal tone...

"Nope...Not a one...Well, he did..." a pause... Buffy interrupting her initial pleased flash...No one?...To glare a bit...

"Just when he recorporealized...He told me he'd...Ummn...Wanting to more or less explain why he'd felt it was right to curse that poor girl...That he felt some obligation to ..."

Harmony?...Buffy's glare reached sudden kill intensity...

I believe that was the name, yes...Dru eyed Dawn who rolled eyes...

"But it was only one time, Buffy...And he didn't think there was a commitment..."

Yeah, yeah...Hmmn...

"Only once?...Only Harmony?..."

That's all...

Whoa...Dawn grinned... "Get the tea, Dawn!..." Buffy glared...

"Shouldn't have let her stay, sorry..." she noted to a Dru who'd been blushing through most of the recent conversation...

Not that sexual matters had not been on everyone's mind in her former human days...Just...We put these things so much more discreetly in my day...she thought...

"Only once, eh?..." Buffy repeated...Smiling a bit now...

But why the hell couldn't he have left a note when he came to Rome?...she sighed...Hmmn...

"He gave up Humanity?...The chance to be a man...For you?..." she eyed Dru coolly...

"Strictly kindness, Buffy...And Angel agreed as well..."

Yeah...Only after Will had already cornered him into it...That's our William...a returned Dawn joined Buffy in the thought...

"Gave it up..." Buffy shook her head...

"Should it make a difference?...So long as he has the soul..." Dru gave a somewhat stern look... "If you love him?..."

"Didn't say it made a difference..." a glare...

Sugar?...Dawn offered...Two, thank you...Dru nodded, offering cup...

Buffy looked the serene-looking former psycho over carefully...

"You recovered your sanity pretty fast..." "Buffy..." Dawn frowned...

"Actually, my demon had been doing a little better since her time in Sunnydale...And I only went... bananas..." Dru grinned at Dawn... "At the very end, when there was no hope of escape from Angelus...and no place to run but the darkest corners of my mind..."

And Angel still had a good team of psychiatrists on staff, luckily for me...she smiled...

"Sorry..." "No problem...I understand your suspicions, Buffy...They're only natural..."

"Cookies...?" Dawn offered... "Oooh, vanilla creme, my favorite...Thanks..."

"And yes..." Dru smiled... "Your real, unasked question is quite valid...I do love him...How can I not love such a good and kind man who offered me compassion when he should curse my very name...?"

But...I'm already married...Even if the ceremony was incomplete for a century...

Dawn stared...Hmmn?...

"To Christ..." Dru explained...And I love my husband more...Whatever I feel for William Soames Walthrop...

"Yeah..." Dawn grinned, poking Buffy... "We know...We got his name back in October...Set up a nice plaque and everything...We both wore black at the memorial service..."

"That's so nice...He'll be so touched..."

"Anyway...I can't offer him any more than a dear sister's love...And I am blessed to have such a fine brother...Two fine brothers..." she eyed them... "In this somewhat confusing new world I find myself in..."

"That's kind Dru..." Buffy nodded... "Angel must...or better...be very grateful..."

"He wasn't responsible...Though I must admit I still get a little skittish around him...Anyway, as I say I can't give Will the love he deserves..."

But I can offer him a service of love...And that why I came to you, Buffy...Someone had to tell you...

"And I had to be in Rome anyway...The Pope is giving me a special audience this afternoon and has arranged a Mass of thanksgiving tonight..."

Whoa... "Yeah..." Dru nodded... "I couldn't believe it myself...But the Church has really put out the carpet for me...Of course it's a celebration of a triumph for God's mercy, not for me personally..."

If you two would like to come tonight?...It's at the Vatican at eight and I can invite a few guests?...

"With bells on..." Dawn nodded... Ummn...Unless...She eyed Buffy... "We'll leave for LA after Mass..." her sis nodded...

"Though I may yet give that guy of mine one last good sock when I catch up with him..."

Sorry, sister...she shrugged to Dru...Who winked back...

"He does deserve one good sock for not trusting in you..." she grinned...

"Immortal Beloved..." LI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Rome, the plaza in front of Buffy and Dawn's apartment...1 am...

11 hours after the defeat of the Senior Partners in LA...

"Yous star'..." "Yous..."

"No, yous...Youda poet, yous star'..." "Nah...don' wanna..."

"Les' match fa' it...One, three...Hah...Oops..." Sound of a bottle smashing on the ground...

"Hey!...Ya broke da champagne!...Ya lummox!..." "Don' wor'...Des pleny mor'..."

"None fer Dawnie..." A sudden, stern look... "Course not..." A firm if bleary nod...

"But you lost sos yous go furst..."

Ok...A sigh...

"Well?..." "Wa a mo...Gotta get the muzic an da..." Pulls out a shelf of papers...

Music from a portable cd begins...

"I'm Unman, hear ma ro'r

In numbers ta big ta bore

An' I knows ta much to go back an' preten'

'cause I've heard it all bafore..."

(Ya bet I 've...)

An' I been down der on da floor

No on's ever gonna kep ma down

again..."

CHORUS ...Two drunken voices join...

"Oh yes We's wis...

But it's wisom borna pain (ya said it!)

Yeah, we paid the price... (an' how! )

But looka much we gained

If we have to, we can do anyathin'...(includin' whippin the asses oda Partnas!...)

We's strong (strong...ah, por' Wes. A sigh)

We's invisible (invinsable, ya moron!)

We's Unman! "

A light goes on in the apartment above...

"Ya ca bend but nefr brak us (No Way!)

'cause it ona serves to mak us ("Dat wha it says, Will?"... "Yeah, lookee...")

Mor' detamined to 'chieve our final goal

("Dat Buf?... Cause I don' know, I gotta girl...Don' wanna hurt Nina..." "Nah, ya dope...Buf's ma goal...Yous wans the huma thin'..."

"Yeah?...Though you wan' dat?"

"O'ly if Buf wan' ma to...Else ya can haf it..."

"Cana..." A sigh... "I done signed off..."

"Don' be a dope, ya lummox...Theys ded...And a deal wid eva demmens don' count no ways..."

"Hey, I sea lite...betta kep singin'...")

CHORUS.

"An' wes come back... ev'n stronga...

Noa novius an' longa

'cause ya deepened da convicta in our souls...

Wes Homan-Souled Unman... watch us grow!

See us standin' toe to toe (Watcha feet, ya big ape!)

As we spread our lovin', word-savin' arms across da land

But wes still embryo

Wid a long, long...way ta go

Until we make my homan bros (and Slaya girls!) undastan'

LOUDER...(More lights come on, shouts in Italian for the gendarmes...Threats of violence...)

"Oh ya wes wise!

But it's wisda borna pain! (an' how!...)

Ya, we paid da price (God, ya!...)

But look how much we gained ("Wha da the hell did we gain, Angel?..." )

If we haf ta we can face anyathin'

Wes strong (strong)

Wes invinsoble (invincible)

Wes Un...Man!

(Holy!...Dawn stared out from their balcony at the sight...

"Jesus Christ!..." Buffy stared...

"Na, ona Christ Junior and his padna!..." Will called up...

Hi, Buf...he added, waving gently...Brod ya some champy...He raised a bottle...

"You throw that brick and you die!..." Buffy shouted in a startlingly loud voice to a fellow tenant taking aim from an opposing balcony... "William, stay there...Don't you move!..."

"Whers I goin?..." he turned to Angel who shrugged...)

"OH!...WES UNMAN!

WES INVISABLE (Invinsuble, dammit!)

WES... (Not feelin' sa well...Angel noted...Staggering a bit...)

HOOOMANNN SOULLLEDDD UN...MANNNNN!"

Three hours later, after a fuming Dawn had been ordered back to bed by a Buffy who'd led the boys off to try and get something lucid out of them...

Pebbles at the apartment window...

"'Awnie!...Hey!..."

CHORUS, three now...

"YA WES PAID THE PRID'...

BUT LOOKIE WHA' WES/I (Buffy's "I" overwhelming her comrades "WES")

GAINED...

(A rock follows the pebbles, smashing the...Wrong...Apartment window...Shouts for the gendarmes, threats of immediate violence...Dawn emerges at the balcony... "Goddamnit you jerks!...Buffy?")

WES STRONG (STRONG...YA BET!)

WES WHA'EVER (INVOSY, ri'?)

WES HOUMAN-SOULED ("ASSHOL', JER', LUVA MY LIF' THA GOD HES LIVE WHO TAK'S HIS TIME 'BOUT SHOWIN' UP!..." "Ow, Buf!..." "Ya deserve a gud whack, jer'...Oh, ya ok, ma hon'?...Oh, Wullam..." brief sob...) UNMAN AN' SLAYA WUMAN!"

("Dawnie, cum on down an' says hi ta ya bro-in-la!..." Sirens in background...)

"Immortal Beloved..." LII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...

On my mother's soul...Ok, I lied...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

London...Six months after the defeat of the Senior Partners at LA...

"Meeting of the Royal Council of Librarians and Library Scientists..." the hotel conference room placard proclaimed to the young-looking, slight blonde-brown- haired man looking rather uncomfortable in his obviously new suit...

"May I help?..." a young, tall, red-haired woman at a reception table eyed him...Jaw dropping..."William?..." she gasped...Ummn?...he stared back... "Do we...?"

"You're William..." she stated in a hushed tone... "...Walthrop..." he finished... "Guilty as charged...Representing Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...And you are...?"

Melanie...she touched her nametag...Yeah, that's me...she blinked...

"William?..." Another young woman came over... "Is it really?..." "Yeah..." Melanie nodded...

"Are you both...Slayers?..." he asked quietly... Yeah...the two chorused... "I'm Rachel..." the new arrival noted...

And you're William...she sighed...

"Well, what's left of him, yeah..." he nodded...

"Sorry..." Melanie recovered a bit as new arrivals came up... "Slayer memories...We've all got em from Ms. Summers and the others..."

"Sounds like they're certainly better ones than what poor Dana had of me..." he smiled...Both women eyeing each other...Dana...A dark look exchanged..."We've got her locked...Er, safely confined...In a sanitarium...She won't ever hurt you again..." Rachel firmly nodded...

"You are ok, right?..." Melanie asked, anxiously... Fine, fine...No permanent damage...he grinned...

"Is that?..." yet another young woman, followed by several others, ranging from teens to middle-age, approached...

"Hi...Ummn...Ladies, I appreciate the attention but..."

"Buffy's here..." Rachel offered...Then a slight frown...

"With... 'The Immortal'..." Sour looks breaking out on several faces...

"Oh...I see..." Several Slayers looking downcast at his quiet tone... "Well, I'm really here for the meeting...And to see Chairman..." Giles appeared at the large conference room doorway... "Rupert..." Will called in a somewhat relieved tone...Noting six more ladies eagerly approaching...

"William?...Glad you could make it..." the new Chairman of the restored Council strode to him, hand extended for a shake which was given... "Are things well in LA?..." Leading him into the hallway from his growing circle of fans...Who watched devotedly as the two strolled...

"Chaotic...I'm afraid...At least in the underworld and behind the scenes...The one thing the Partners did provide was a bit of structure...But it's gradually falling into place..."

Thanks for the rescue, mate...he hissed...Nodding cheerfully at the swelling line paralleling the doorway and causing some difficulty for those simply trying to enter the main room...Most waving or nodding back eagerly...

"I'll try to get them to settle down...I'm afraid you've quite a reputation...An implanted one...To live up to..."

Sorry Angel couldn't make it...the Chairman eyed his guest...

"I suppose he's still a bit..." "A bit, Rupert...Winifred meant a great deal to him...It hurt to have you and your people slough us off...Though we do understand..."

"I suppose my own feelings got in the way there..." Giles sighed as they moved down the hall and turned back... "But I do regret what happened and I hope this meeting will be the start of proper cooperation between us again..."

"We've never stopped being on the same side, Giles...Ludicrous as that may sound coming from me..."

Well...Giles smiled... Things change...And you have lived up to Buffy's hopes for you...

"She's here, by the way..." "So Ms. Rachel told me..." Rachel hearing, gave a happy beam...

And how is our champion Slayer...And her latest...?

Giles gave him a close, shrewd, and somewhat hard look...

"She's well...Seems to be enjoying her little romance with yet another member of the Undead..."

"Good..."

Really?...Giles eyed him again... "Can I do a thing about it?..." Will smiled, shrugging...

"I was surprised...After the shock of hearing about you from Andrew wore off...That you never came to Rome..."

"Nothing for me there, Rupert...I had no illusions..." Giles gave another hard look as they paused in the hall...

"Well, some illusions that I wanted to keep, yes..." a sheepish nod... "But I knew they'd fade like mist in the morning sun if I met with her...So..."

I see...Giles sighed...

"Things are all right?..." Will hesitated... "His Buffoonishness isn't souled, I know...But I understand he's more or less..." Giles smiling at the "Buffoonishness..."

"He's acquired some kind of a moral sense over the centuries...And is, or is giving a reasonably good performance of, seeking some form of redemption...I'm fairly willing to accept that and his claims for being with us in the fight...To an extent..."

I suspect that redemption-seeking may in fact be his primary attraction for Buffy...he looked at Will closely...

"Outside his overall attractiveness, aristocratic bearing, profound intellect, amazing abilities, and vast wealth..." a thin smile...

"Sounds like quite a catch..."

"If one wants an aristocratic vampiral...Buffoon...with the smatterings of a moral sense in the family...Perhaps..." Giles nodded...Will grinning wanly in his turn...

"Will...I am sorry...About our differences the other year...I realize I should have recognized your soul recovery as marking a profound change...And I should have tried to help you in regaining a place in Humanity..."

Afraid, young Randall...he grinned, but with a sincere sigh...That Father has failed you...

"Daughter was your focus, Mr. Chairman..." William smiled back... "And she was lucky to have you keeping a crossbow trained on me..."

"Mr. Chairman!..." a call from Melanie... "They want everyone to get seated..."

Yes...Well...He turned to William... "Shall we go in and see just how tedious a Council conference can be...?"

"I'll show William to his chair..." a chorus of voices from the only slowing breaking line...Melanie moving to try and secure first spot...

"Thank you, ladies...And you, Andrew..." Giles nodded to an eager, newly-arrived-in-the-line, waving...Hey, Spike!...Andrew...

"But I'll bring Mr. Walthrop in...I need to speak with him regards matters with his organization..."

The line reluctantly parted to let the two through...See ya, William!...Several calls...

"Just keep moving on through before more get here..." Giles hissed...

Giles summoned away to deal with a preliminary procedural matter, Will scanned the room from his chair...Trying not to look too intently round...

Hmmn...No sign of...

"William?...Hiya...Ok if I?..." Dawn paused... Sure, Ms. Summers the younger, he nodded, waving her to the seat beside him...

"She's over there..." she pointed... "Just heard you'd come in..." Ah...he looked to see Buffy in the distance, turned away, arm-in-arm with and speaking to a tall, youthful-and-distinguished-looking man as various milling Counselors, Slayers...Several waving his way...Hey, William!...and various guests stepped to block his view...

"Well...She looks good..." he smiled faintly at Dawn...

"I guess..." she began...Staring at his quiet face, then looking away... "I s'pose you were hoping for a different kinda reunion with Buffy..."

"I didn't expect to see Buffy at all here, Dawn...Nor you..." he gave a faint smile... "It's nice to see you again though..."

You, too...she hastily replied...A quick glance at him...

Ummn...

"How's Rome...?" he asked... "You oughta know, you were there, right?..." she replied...A slightly hard tone...

"Just on business...And I knew Buffy was busy..."

"You should have stayed and looked in on us, William..." "And the reason for that, apart from a Spikish desire to embarrass your sis, would be?..."

We woulda been glad to see you...I would've been...she sighed...

"Best to let things be, Dawn...And your sister seems quite content with that..."

"You aren't...I mean...You don't..." "I've tried to put things behind me and move on as Andy suggested when we came to Rome..."

"But you came to Rome 'cause...?" "Yeah, not knowing which way the Immortal was currently leaning..." She stared as he grinned... "Evil or good, I mean...But, things are the way things are...I've accepted it, girl...It's fine..."

I never expected as much as I got from her...

"You should've come, William..."

"Maybe...But I think not...Anyway, we'll never know and as long as Buffy is content, it is best to leave things be..."

"I'm sorry..." she hastily blurted... Uh...Sorry...

"I mean about last year...I shoulda been a little more supportive, I know..."

"I nearly raped your wounded sis, Dawn...I understand your feelings..."

"That was Spike...Hey, Angelus nearly killed us and destroyed the world..."

"And I've noticed you've never been too anxious to sit and chat with the ole poof-boy..."

"He shouldn't have left sis...And he might've tried to help her out after she came back..."

Like you always did...she eyed him... "Anyway, I wish I'd handled things a little better back then..."

"How's His Benevolence?..."

She made a face... "About what you'd expect a guy who calls himself 'The Immortal' to be like...But ...He does seem pretty unevil...Buffy seems to like the attention...And he does offer a lotta perks...They were at his estate on the Rivera for a week last month..."

"Nice to think she's with someone who'll take her to a few decent places, at last..." he smiled...

"Drusilla paid us a call..."

"Did she?...Post-rehumanity, I hope...?" "Yeah..." Dawn nodded...Staring at him carefully...

"That was great of you, Will...Giving the Prophecy up to her..."

"Angel's choice too, girl...And Dru was the one who needed...And deserved it...Most...She'd never have been able to bear the curse in that vamp body and after all she's suffered, soulwise...There wasn't really much of a choice, once we'd convinced the Guardian..."

Was she doing well?...

"Fine...Or seemed to be...They rolled the carpet out for her at the Vatican...A PR thing for Catholicism and Christianity I guess...But it was nice..."

"Good..." he smiled... "God rest her, the poor thing's earned a little kindness and support at last..."

"So have you..." Dawn told him quietly... "I'm fine...And very lucky, really..." he shook his head... "I may have put off Humanity for the moment, but that may come someday for me...And Angel...But otherwise things are fine..."

And best of all, Angel didn't beat me to it...he grinned to her...A grin she returned...

"Dru said..." she stared at him... "You still loved her...In fact she'd come to see us, hopin' Buf would..."

"Kind ole thing, my poor Sister Drusilla..."

"She loves you too, you know...In a Sisterly kinda way..." "I know..." he nodded...

"Odd that I have regained a family in a way...An older brother and sister..." a faint smile...

She looked over where Buffy was sitting, talking rather loudly to the Immortal...Eyeing them from where she sat every now and then...

"It's...Gonna end badly, isn't it?..." she eyed William, who nodded slightly... "I'm afraid it's likely...Given what I know of His Benevolence's rep with the ladies...Though I think Buf can handle him even if his 'redemption' bit is an act..."

"Don't suppose there's any chance...If things go that way...?" Dawn hesitated... "You might..."

"I won't risk my heart...And soul...another time, Dawn..." he said quietly...

"I see..." she sighed... "Well, anyway...I am sorry, William...And I really do hope you can forgive me...Someday..."

"Forgiven, Niblett..." he smiled as she wanly grinned back...See ya...she patted him...On rising, turning to give Buffy a brief, hard stare and then turned away as she moved over several tables over to where Willow sat...Who, catching his eye, gave a quick, bright...Heya!...To William...

Buffy looking back over at Dawn , then quickly at William...Still eagerly chatting to her beau...Only the faintest fleeting flicker of a shadow across her face which vanished fast as it had come...

"Mr. Walthrop?..." "Mr. Wyndham-Price..." Will eyed Roger Wyndham-Price standing before his chair, who held his usual stern pose...If at least the cyborg copy had been as good as poor Wesley had insisted...

With perhaps, just the faintest trace of...something...

Pleading?...

"So...You appear to have done well since your soul's recovery..." Wyndham-Price hesitated...

"Please..." William pushed the seat Dawn had occupied... "Yeah, 'bout as well as could be expected I suppose..." he nodded as Roger took the seat gingerly...

"He...My son...Wrote me about you once...Said he was unsure how they should proceed with you and for the first time in years, actually requested my opinion..."

"And...?"

I told him to stake you...Wyndham-Price shrugged...If you gave the slightest sign of regression, that is...

"We do, even on the Council, make some allowances..." he smiled faintly...Will chuckling...

"He was a good lot, your boy...A fine man as they say...And a true friend to Angel to the last...Though, judging from what Angel has said, at times a friend who did not fear giving offense..."

Which, I'd say is the best kind of friend...he smiled...Roger silent...

"William...Mr. Walthrop...Did my son?...Did Wesley ever speak to you about what I told him about you?..."

As in the staking advice?...Will grinned...

"No, but I got the general impression he was quite ready to..." "No..." Roger shook his head... "I mean about our family ties..."

"Ties...?"

"We are related, William...Distantly now, of course...But the tie exists...You see your younger brother..."

"Are you saying...?"

"My maternal great-grandmother..." Wyndham-Price eyed him...

Whoa...Well...

Always did see a little Walthrop blood in ole Wes...The courage, stout-hearted Englishness...Poetic sensibility...Way with the ladies...

"No...He never mentioned it...Shock, I'd guess..."

Yes, I'd rather expect...Roger nodded...

Living relatives...My God...

"I..." Wyndham-Price hesitated... "You were there...When..."

"Ms. Burkle-Wyndham-Price was with him...Though I did see him before...He was a man to be proud of that day, sir..."

My...Multiple times removed...Cousin...Wesley...

"Yes..." Roger nodded... "And we were...Whatever he seems to have convinced himself of...We...I...Was..."...He paused again...A slight smile breaking...

"Ms. Burkle-Wyndham-Price..." he shook his head... "She called us, you know...His mother and I...Wanted our permission to take the name..."

"She...Both of her...Loved him sincerely...Maybe, on Illyria's part even more, knowing she must lose his soul to our Fred..."

"That was not difficult to see...Even in a brief conversation...A most remarkable...Woman..."

"That she was...And Illyria, thanks to what she gained from her, is..."

"William...Mrs. Wyndham-Price...That is, both of us...Would very much appreciate it if you'd consider coming out to us at our home?...When you've finished with the conference?...I can't say we have a great deal of information to give you about...Our family...But..."

"I think I'd like that very much, thanks..."

"Excuse me...William?..." Kennedy stood by his chair...Ah, hi...he smiled up, she smiling back... "May I?..." she looked at him...He waved her to a seat...

"So...That amulet worked out, huh?..." she grinned... "Depends on your pov...I suppose so..." he hastily corrected, seeing her face fall a bit...

"I guess it hasn't been a very happy homecomin' for you..." she sighed... "Sorry we didn't handle it better..."

"You didn't know, lass...But I've made out ok...Angel's been surprisingly decent to me as time's gone on...For a brooding poof, he's not all that bad a mate..."

In the 'ye merrie ole England' good ole boy sense, he grinned...I haven't gone the distaff way...

"Are you?..." she paused... Looking over where Buffy had again briefly glanced their way... "Were you in Heaven, Will?..."

"God knows, girl...Not likely with my record...But I've no idea...No memories of the experience to share I'm afraid..."

"You would have deserved it, William...Your soul was innocent...And you died a hero..." she smiled faintly...Looking him over carefully...

"How's Red these days?...You two were having quite a time in Rio I understand from ole Andrew..." "We're not together anymore..." she hastily interrupted... "Willow and I decided to call it quits a while ago...She wasn't quite as sure as before about the 'gay, now' thing...And hadn't forgotten either Tara...Or Xander..." she looked over to where Xander now sat by Willow, she talking to him quietly...

Guess she figured he needed her more now...

"But I wasn't dumped...It was mutual..." she noted hastily...

After all...I never took the vows myself...

"Keeping your options open, eh?...Well, that's my motto myself these days..." he smiled...

"Are you ok?...I mean..." she looked at him... "My poor ole bleeding heart is slowly healing...Yeah, ok.." he grinned at her solemn face...

She was silent a moment...

"William?...Ummn...I've been thinkin' about you...Ever since...Well, since I first saw you with Buffy...But especially since...I mean about what you did for Buffy and everything..."

"Anyway, ever since I got the Slayer memories...And knew the details of what you did for Buffy...Souled and soulless...And the rest..." she paused...

"Yeah, I've acquired quite a fan club thanks to Ms. Summers..." he smiled...

"I think I've gone a little beyond fan status..." Kennedy gave him a cool stare...

What?...she stared at his blinking face, grinning... "Like I said, I never took the perpetual vows..."

And I always thought, if I were to reconsider...You'd definitely be a candidate...

"That is, if Slayers are still on your list..." Another stare as he blinked at her...

"Hey, Will..." Willow taped him on the shoulder, Xander, looking rather uncomfortable, in her tow... "This is so great to have you here...Congrats on how things went in LA..." She startled him by giving an embrace... "You've made us all proud, there, Mr. W..."

Right, Xander?...She turned to him...

Yeah...Sure...he nodded... "Hi, Spike...Still kickin' I see..."

"William, Alexander..." Will eyed him coolly, offering a hand... "Spikey is gone to that warm place where demons dwell when not on vacation here..."

"Good...Hope he stays there..." Xander...Willow hissed...Squeezing his hand...Kennedy glaring from her seat...

"And how's dear ole Anya?..." Will eyed him... "I assume you have called her via seance...?"...A hard look...Willow gulping slightly, then frowning...Geesh, Will...

"She's good...And thanks for the instructions...I did prefer doing it personally..." Xander grinned...Kennedy and Willow staring...

"Sorry, ladies..." Will grinned as well... "Mr. Harris and I are pulling your legs a bit...We've been in touch the last few months ever since Xander sent me a most charming note..." Xander rolled eyes... Knew that good deed would go neither unpunished nor unpublished...

"You wrote Sp...er William?..." Willow stared...Yeah, yeah...Xander shrugged... "I thought one of us oughta...Him dying to save us and all..."

"It was like having a younger brother again...I was deeply moved..." Will smiled..."If only I'd been of the right persuasion...My problems dela coeur would have been settled at once..." "Shut up..." Xander mock-glared...

"You guys were in touch all this time?..." Kennedy shook her head... Just since our two vamp stooges did their Rome trip...After Andy told us, I thought somebody...Xander gave a sheepish look...

"That's my Xan..." Willow patted him...

"You had a younger brother?..." Kennedy eyed Will...Xander and Willow looking at him as well...

"Hello, I was human once...Had a family like most...Yeah, I had a brother...Good ole Phil...Fortunately I didn't maintain the old family ties..."

My God...Willow shook her head...Gee...Never even thought...She stared over to where Buffy, Immortal still on arm, was making rounds as the rest of the onference attendees trickled in slowly...A quick, questioning glance from the Slayer catching her...

For Godsakes, Buf...At least come over and say hi...Preferably minus his BennyHilliness...Can't believe she can tolerate that clown and his pretensions...Hell everything he's got fell off the cart of somebody he killed centuries ago...Giles says even his title was swiped from some poor nobleman whose estates he grabbed back in the back ole days...

Then again, Will here doesn't seem anxious to visit with his girl...Though I suppose even though we're quits I wouldn't relish having to make nice meeting Ken's...she paused...Eyeing Kennedy who was eyeing William with a rather...look...

Hmmn...I think, maybe...Unless my acute perception is off...

I just did meet Ken's latest...

"You two look like you'd like to be alone..." Xander grinned at Will and Kennedy...

Ummn...They looked at each other then the others...

"Actually..." Kennedy grinned... "I would like a few minutes..."

Yeah...Willow sighed to herself...I just did...Given that even Xander's picking up the vibes...

Well, he is a nice, heroic guy...Post-soul...And given the current sit ala Buf...Maybe it's for...

"William...How ya doin'?...Long time no return from beyond the grave..." Buffy beamed...At somewhat overintense intensity...Fine, Slayer...Will nodded, briefly eyeing her...

Hmmn...Well, she did lose her Jude Law clone...Willow thought...Catching sight of His Benevolence now conversing with some animation with Giles...A rather interested-looking bevy of Slayers in close attendance...

"So how's my guy who couldn't be bothered to call me even when in Rome?..." Buffy continued brightly...With a brittle edge in her voice...

Uh-boy...Willow gave Xander a sidelong glance...

"Still dead..." William nodded politely... "And His...Or, rather Your, I guess...Benevolence?...I'll have to thank him for sending that capo to us...Saved us a minor war..."

"He's great...I'll introduce you later...Say could you guys give us five?...I wanna talk to Spike before the meeting starts..." she pulled at his hand, speaking in a rush...

"His name's William, Buffy..." Kennedy said, in a slightly cold voice... "He'd prefer we lose Spike these days..."

Oh?...She locked eyes a moment with her fellow Slayer...Then turned to William...Pulling a bit harder... "C'mon William, just gimme a minute of your precious time..."

He rose, a bit reluctantly...Sure...Buffy pulling him along...

Xander rolling eyes at Willow who wrinkled her mouth...As Kennedy watched the two moving off...Then turned back to her friends...Willow eyeing her now...

"I'll be fair..." Kennedy nodded to Willow's careful stare... "She can have her chance..."

"But I won't sit by and let him be jerked around...Or used, again...She's not the only Slayer now and she can't have it all her way..."

"These are Buffy's memories you're..." Xander began...

"But the use I make of em is my own choice..." Kennedy nodded firmly... "And I choose to follow through on them...Kinda speeds the process up, ya know..." she grinned at Willow...

But I will give her her chance...

"This thing with the Immortal..." Buffy spoke hastily, in a low voice as they moved to the back of the hall, resuming a more normal tone as they reached an empty corner... "You know it's only that, right?...William?...I mean he's fun and all but I wouldn't stick with some other...You know I wouldn't..." she paused... "I was so lonely after you died...I had to have..." He nodded...Sure...

"He is trying for redemption...It reminded me of you...Though I wouldn't take any vamp, not permanently...You understand?..." "That's fine, Buffy...No sweat..."

She frowned at his calm face...Biting a lip...

"Dru said..." "Dru is very sweet...And cares a great deal for me..."

"Why didn't you come to Rome?...Was it what she said?...You were afraid?..."

"How long have you known I was back, Buffy?..."

She stared a while...That long, eh?...he smiled wanly...

"So that's it...You don't love me?...Anymore?..."

He stared at her face a long moment...The sad, puzzled face of a hurt child...A loving and courageous, if thoughtless and selfish child...

And forced to be so, by a calling she never chose, he knew...The world-saving Slayer, blithely demanding and receiving the unending sacrifices and support of family, friends, and assorted lovers as her due...Which, given her own willingness to sacrifice herself, he could now agree dispassionately, it was...However abstract and bound up in pride and pleasure in her work her love of Humanity in the general might be...

"I'll always love you, Buffy...Of course..." he nodded kindly... "But I understand what can and cannot be..."

She smiled at him, relieved, patting a hand... "I love you, too...You know that...And if you ever win Humanity..."

"Thanks..." he smiled back... "I'll keep trying..."

She nodded...And went back to her seat...

Immortal Beloved..." LIII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I lied...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Sides, after the last one, I had to do another nice one to balance things out...And there was that mistake with the numbers earlier...I mean there's no choice but to press on (over your pleading screams to desist, no doubt...)

The Austrian-Italian border...Castle Immortale...

One month after the defeat of the Senior Partners at LA...

A tall and aristocratic-looking, apparently youthful, but with cold eyes at variance with such youth, Immortal greets his...Barely tolerated, let alone welcome, guests...

"Gentlemen..." a phony congeniality

"Welcome..."

"There is she is, guys!..." Dawn pointed at Buffy standing by His Benevolence...A rather vague and blankly wan expression on her face... "Look at her...She's in thrall...William, you gotta get her out..."

"Gentlemen...Lady..." The Immortal eyed Dawn coldly... "Please...I believe there has been a misunderstanding...The younger Ms. Summers is mistaken and has dragged you here under a serious misconception...Dear Buffy is here of her own free will..."

Yeah, right...Dawn glared... "Just look at her, guys!...Come on, you know thrall when you see it...!"

"I'm fine, Dawn...Hello..." Buffy murmured... "I know you...You're William...And Angel..."

Hi...she waved vaguely...The boys staring at her, then each other...Dawn fuming, arms firmly folded across chest...

"Buffy...?" Angel eyed her... "Are you ok?...Dawn told us the Immortal had taken you away...And that you were acting...Well...Pretty much like you are right now..."

"I'm fine...His Benevolence would never let me come to harm..." she gave the Immortal a beaming, if still vague smile...

Hiya William...Nice to see you alive...she nodded to him...

"Yeah...Thanks..." he sighed...

"William?..." she looked at him...A slight cloudiness in her face when he turned away...

"You ok, Slayer?...Dawn's been worried...Called us in..."

"Fine...Nice of you to come...But His Benevolence's love shields me from all harm...Thanks for coming..." she turned to the Immortal... "Henri...?...Uh, Your Benevolence?..."

Is she waiting for...Orders...? Angel hissed to Will...Who shrugged...

"This is Buffy, mate...I told you it wasn't likely..."

Magics?...Dawn suggested, eyeing Will...C'mon Will...Do somethin'...her expression saying...

"He don't use em..." Will shook his head... "Quite right..." the Immortal nodded...

"You're a liar...What did you do to my sis?...We know you're evil...Angel found out about your deal with the Partners...Buffy, you gotta come with us!...William, grab her!..."

"I'm fine Dawnie...The Immortal loves me...He needs me the way William did, even more so...And when I prove my love by helping him win back his soul...Instead of failing to help him like I failed William...I'll be worthy of such love at last...

Or if that doesn't work, He's promised to transform me with my soul intact so that I can be with Him...long adoring glance...Forever..." Buffy beamed...Eyeing Will a bit carefully as he continued to avoid her stare...

"You never failed me, girl..." he shook his head briefly... "Oh, but I must've..." she wanly insisted... "Or you would have believed me and come to Rome..."

Though thank goodness His Benevolence was sent to try and keep me busy there...While the Partners dealt with you two...

"Course Henri was far too wonderful...And had too much good sense...To carry through with their plan..."

Hmmn...Angel stared, turning to his junior partner... "Will?..."

"Great, lovely..." William sighed... "Much happiness and all that..." "William?..." Dawn fumed... "He's got her and he's gonna kill her!..."

"Please...My dear little child..." the Immortal smiled, glaring slightly at Dawn at the end... "While it is true I did briefly treat with your enemies, Angel...Against my better judgement but for the sake of protecting Humanity...And my own interests, I admit...In the likely event of your failure...I quickly abandoned their schemes for Ms. Summers on meeting her..."

And she...As so many other females have been...Was swayed to forebear her initial impulse to destroy me on learning of my initial plot by love of me...

Oh, yeah...Buffy nodded wanly...Eyeing Angel, then William...

"I just adored him from the start...Andy musta told you that night in Rome, right?...When we were being seen together in every possible public place?..."

Whatdaya think?...Angel hissed to William...She does seem kinda...?

"You detected no magics with that thing from the office, right?..." Will eyed him...

"I never use magics!..." the hearing Immortal frowned... "They are...Dirty...I, the Immortal, have no need of such toys..."

"Having graciously allowed you and the...Dear child..." he frowned at Dawn... " To enter my home, I have also kindly given you, gentlemen...An explanation of the situation...Buffy is here of her own free will and quite content to remain with me...I believe she will consent to any examination which you care to make..."

Before...Leaving...he glared...

"Buffy, please summon Robbins...I shall retire to my study while your friends complete their interview...Gentlemen, Buffy and my butler will be happy to provide you with anything you require...I will say...Good evening..." he turned...

"Oh, and Buffy...Please bring my evening's brandy to my study later?...Thank you, dear..." he exited through the nearest door... "Yes, Henri...Your Benevolence..." Buffy called after him...Moving to a panel on the wall by his exit door and pressing a button...

"Jesus..." Dawn hissed... "Does that look and sound like my sis to you clowns?...Do something..."

Will, you know she's always been a sucker for love spells...she turned to him...

Buffy returned... "Want anything, guys?...William, it really is nice to see you alive again...Sorry the Immortal's overwhelmed and enraptured me with his...Charms..."

"Charms, get it?..." Dawn hissed...Dawn, Will sighed...

"Dawn, no spells are in play..." Angel noted... "Well, maybe he hexed her earlier...!"

"I just adore the Immortal...He's so...I don't know..." Buffy vaguely told William, staring at him...

"Delightful...Well, Angel..." William turned to him...

"Brainwashed, that's it!..." Dawn tried... "Angel, you gotta take her to your place and deprogram her..."

"Buffy?...Brainwashed?..." Angel shook his head... "Dawn, come on..."

"Drugs!...That's it!...He don't use magics but he pumps em full of..."

Well...? Angel eyed William...Who was looking anywhere but at the still staring Buffy...Who now put a hand out to him...

"Really glad to see you again..." she murmured... "William, right?...Did I tell you about how I suddenly found myself in love with the Immortal one day?..."

"That's nice..." he sighed...Turning to Angel... "Any way to check for drugs?...I suppose we should..."

Brought a general testing kit...his partner nodded...Dawn eyeing Buffy...

"Buffy, could we have a urine and blood sample...Just to check?" Angel eyed her...

Uh...She eyed Dawn...

"I'll need to check with Henri...His Benevolence...If that's ok..." she turned to the door as a distinguished-looking butler entered...

"This is Robbins...Robbins, His Benevolence wants His guests properly cared for..." Buffy dreamily noted... "I'll be back to help in just a bit..."

She paused and glanced at Dawn...

"You ain't going no wheres without me, Buffy!..." Dawn hurried over and went out with her...

"Nice girl..." Robbins noted to the two guests... "Seems a trifle submissive though..."

Well?...Buffy hissed as the sisters paused in the hallway...

Dawn shrugged... "No go, they aren't buying the thrall bit...They think you're voluntary..."

"What the...Whadaya mean they still don't believe it?...I'm acting worse than with RJ!..."

"Buf...You're the greatest Slayer of ever...I told ya they'd never believe His Doofusness could get his hooks in ya..."

"They think...William thinks...?"

"It's love?...'Fraid so..." Dawn sighed...

"But I caved to love spells lotsa times...How can he believe I'd ever voluntarily let that lump of puff pastry push me around like that?...Jerk..." she groused...

If he weren't the lovea my life...

"So...Knock this nonsense off and tell him...He's the Slayer's mate-for-life...A nonvoluntary, nonresignable position...And kill that stupid jackass before word gets out to the underworld how you've been acting..."

"Can't believe he'd think..." Buffy looked down...Damn jerk...All this trouble getting him to come and see me...Putting up with that worthless clown of an Immortal dumbass for all these weeks...

"Damn him!..." she fumed... "Where the hell's the guy who won his soul back for me?...Died for me?...Geesh..."

"He thinks you'd do it for love...That's not so bad..." Dawn noted... "Least he thinks you're capable of it...That Love could even make you do something like..."

Yeah?...Buffy beamed...Well, if it were Will...

And he didn't act like as big a jerk...

Hmmn...Wait a mo...She waved a hand... "I got an idea...Just gotta get His Schmuckness back and to think Will's challenging him...He'll try to have me deal rather than fight himself of course..." Gutless creep...the sisters glared down the hall...

"Torn by my conflictin' emotions when sent to deal...My love for Will overcomes His Swinishness' sinister influence..."

Not bad...Dawn nodded...But His Dumbassness doesn't use magics...Even before he told them that, the guys knew...Some guy told them in Rome, they said...And Angel's screened for spells...

And you'll fail a drug test...The wrong way...she sighed...

"So?...Maybe it was the First...Yeah, she's in league with him and usin' my despair over Will to gain a hold on me...Enthrall me to him and turn my body over to her in the end..."

Well...Bit hokey, sis...But it is better...And with our dim boys...Might work...Dawn agreed...Hey?...A glare...

"Sorry, sorry..."

"And best of all will be the look on His Dipshitness' face...Just before I let him have it...Well, no..." Buffy sighed...

Best will be my Will's face when he knows at last...What I said was true...she smiled...

"Yeah, but ya are gonna kill that asshole, right?..."

"He was in league with the Senior Partners to distract me while they killed the boys...Of course I'm gonna kill him...Soon as the douche bag's served his purpose..."

"Buffy, my dear..." His Benevolence called sharply from the door of his study...

"Yeah?...Ummn...Yes, Henri?...Your Benevolence...?"

I think the best part is watching him so utterly clueless while she does this act...Dawn gave a slight grin...

"After our guests leave, I'd like that brandy...And my study requires straightening...My shoes a brisk wiping...If you would cease your chatter with the little one a moment and hurry these awful people on their way..." he frowned at her...

"Of course, dear...Your Benevolence..." she nodded...A wan smile...

Oh, I am gonna love the final scene tonight...Gotta get the video camera and see if we can run it in slo mo later...Dawn thought...

"Immortal Beloved..." LIV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away"

on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I lied...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

London, Heathrow Airport...Six months after the defeat of the Senior Partners at LA...

Angel and William strode out of their gate, luggage in hand...

"If it's all the same to you, poof-boy...I'll be heading on out..." Will eyed Angel as they paused, looking about the airport hallway...

"Spike?...Whadaya mean?...You said you were ok with this?..."

"I..." he waved a hand... "Don't need this...I think I'd like to just go, find a room in town...On my expense card, of course...And get started seeking my roots and any surviving family..."

"Spike..." Angel sighed... "You said you could handle this...I'm no more anxious to..."

"William!...Angel!...Hey, guys!..." a loud bellow from down the hall...Buffy, with Dawn...And a rather handsome thirtiesish-looking, very well-dressed and groomed man...in tow...

"So!..." she whacked William in the side as she came up to them... "Long time no tell Buffy you're up and kickin'..."

Hello...

"What, no hug for your old Slayer general?...And your...Ummn...Old girl?..." she raised arms eagerly...He eyeing her coolly...Then let himself be embraced...Spike...she hugged him tightly...He stiff in her arms...

"Spike's a demon in hell...Please, call me William, Buffy..."

"Sorry...William..." she smiled, pulling back...The smile fading fast as he eyed her quietly...Ummn...

"Hey...William..." Dawn reached out to pat him... "Nibs..." he nodded to her... "Sorry bout...Things..." she eyed him...Buffy watching him questioningly...

"I came through fine..." he shook his head...

"I mean...Last year and all...I know I wasn't exactly...Supportive...Post-soul and all..." Dawn explained...

"Will?...Are you angry at me?..." Buffy asked suddenly... "I mean, you took your sweet time about..."

"Angel, this is Buffy..." William turned to Angel... "Very funny..." she frowned... "Hi, Angel..." she patted his arm... "Look, I'm sorry about Giles and everything...The Wolfram-Hart stuff threw us for a loop...I had faith in you, though..."

"So Andrew told me..." Angel smiled faintly, but accepted an embrace in his turn...

Don't be too...On her, I mean...Dawn hissed to Will as he stood by her... "She really was kinda broken up about you for a long time..."

"Oh...Henri, sorry..." Buffy turned to the good-looking fellow just behind her... About what I expected, William sighing... "Guys, meet Henri...Faucomb...Count d'Vestigy...Better known as 'The Immortal'..."

"Henri...Angel...It's Liam Angel, now, right?..." she smiled at Angel... "And...William...Soames Walthrop..." she grinned at William who blinked at her... "Didn't think I'd bother to look your name up, eh?..." "Thanks..." he replied coolly... "That was nice of you...Was it for my tombstone?..."

Actually...Dawn thought...As Buffy stared back at him...Some anger in her eyes now...

"D'Vestigy..." Angel nodded, moving to smooth things... "Thanks for the capo..." "Don't mention it, mon ami...My dear Buffy was most anxious it reach you in time..." The Immortal beamed...

Yeah...Will nodded, frowning...

"You're angry..." a somewhat cooled Buffy gave a shrewd look... "I'm the one who should be angry, you know...You resurrect and never call..."

"So when's the happy day for you two?..." he ignored her, smiling coldly at the Immortal...

"Well, my friend...We hope to conclude things shortly...Naturally there are many details to consider before we move on to embrace our happiness..." Henri smiled...

Yeah...Buffy nodded briefly... "So, why are you angry?..." she frowned at William... "I thought Angel said you doin' fine since the big battle...You sure weren't so desperate to see me you hopped on the first plane to Rome...If Giles hadn't arranged this conference with Angel over disposing of the remains of Wolfram-Hart, Inc I bet you never woulda..."

"Buffy?..." Henri tapped his right forefinger with the other... "That's 'would have'...I do not mean to correct you like this but you did ask me to let you know..."

Our social responsibilities require we discipline ourselves as role models for Society, not only in our heroic endeavours, but even to the lesser details...he smiled at the boys who eyed each other, then Buffy...

Right...she nodded at Henri... "I'm watchin' it...No sweat..."

Dawn rolled eyes...Yeah, he is like this all the time...Her expression said...

"So...? You never would...Have...Come?" "Buffy...Look...You're happy, I'm ok...It's nice to see you again..."

"All you had to do was pick up a phone..." she told him...

Uh, Buf...Dawn eyed her...Devoted buffoon of a sorta fiancee at two o'clock...Eliciting even my very hard won sympathy by his patience...Her expression said...

"But anyway, it's nice to see you again, too...Henri and I are thinkin' about gettin' married...Did you hear?..."

Thinking?...Henri stared slightly... Mama is getting ready to have herself souled for the occassion...Not to mention planning the invitations...

"Saw a sidebar in 'People'...Congrats..."

"Just rumors...Nothin' definite...Though we're definitely considerin'..."

Buf?...You said we'd go dress shopping this weekend?...Dawn blinked up at her...

"Nice...Guess you've expanded your definition of a suitable partner since I fried..."

"You never gave me!..." she calmed hastily as the others stared... Uh...

"Henri, honey?...Could we go to the clubroom?...It's noisy out here..."

"Certainly, dearest...Gentlemen...And Ladies..." he waved them along... "The clubroom is much better for such a joyous reunion...Let me phone ahead and see that some refreshments have been brought up..." he left the room...

"C'mon..." Buffy muttered, grabbing at Will's arm...Dawn giving Angel a sly smile as they headed off...William doing his best to avoid looking at Buffy's half-anxious, half-angry face...

"So..." Buffy glared at Will as they awaited Henri's return in the rather elegantly appointed clubroom...

Buffy...he sighed... "Lets just leave it at... 'Spike died at Sunnydale for you and remains a fond memory'...While as for me, the Buffy I loved died likewise of her injuries after telling me she..."

Sounds good to me...Very sensible...Dawn thought...Clearin' away the past and leavin' all kinds of new opps for the future...Way to go...

She colored but said nothing...Glare reaching kill intensity...But calmed as His Benevolence returned, attentive staff in tow...Angel eyeing him as he entered...

Hmmn...Henri quickly sized up the sit...This looks like a job for an aristocrat with exquiste sensibility and taste...

"That's the way you...?" Buffy stared... "It's damned well the way you wanted it, at least regards me, right?..."

"My friends...My dearest girl..." Henri hastily interposed...Receiving a mutual glare for his pain as Angel watched quietly...Dawn rolling eyes...God, will you two ust...

Course, it does seem...From an objective pov...A little hard on our pretentious aristocratic one, here...Henri being of the soulless vamp persuasion and all, it was something for him to...she thought...

"Buffy, my darling...I cannot bear to see you in such pain...I must relinquish my claims..." Huh?...Dawn stared...Angel and William as well...

Huh?...Buffy eyed him... "No, ma petit...It's clear to me your heart is pledged to another...And, being... 'The Immortal' ...there is but one course I can follow...Walthrop..." he turned to William... "I entrust her to your care...Farewell..."

Henri?...Buffy stared... "No, my love..." he raised a hand... "I cannot oppose true love...Your kind heart that would spare my feelings does you credit...But alas, I am not the One..." he hastily turned and exited through the back door, Angel following...As Dawn stared after him...

Did that pompous French jackass just pull an Angelus?...Or, maybe drop the last two to be fair...Angelus at least never jerked her around, claiming he was just waiting and hopin' for...The Day of Final Redemption...While sleepin' round with every girl in LA...

Phew...The Immortal mopped his brow... "A close one, eh...?" Angel grinned...

"At least you had Angelus and Duty to get you safely away from her..." Henri shook his head... "Mon Dieu, the girl nearly had me... 'The Immortal'...Bound, gagged, and delivered into the hideous bonds of matrimony..."

"You didn't have to..." "Have you ever tried to tell her the relationship is over?...The look on her face when I even suggested that we might care to see others again...Merde, mon ami...I thought it was going to be fun...The Greatest Slayer and the Immortal...A few pleasant weeks, no doubt a spread in "People" at the very least...Great for my book sales, naturalement...Then we'd go on our merry ways...What was she thinking of?...I'm soulless for crying out loud..."

"She was probably transferring...You're lucky William's back..."

Transferring?...Henri frowned... As in me, 'The Immortal' for that two-bit Billy Idol impersonator?...

The door back opened, both falling hastily silent as Dawn emerged...And eyed Henri coolly...

"Nice dodge, Your Bullshitiness..." she frowned...The mouth on that kid...the Immortal glared a bit... "Just thank whatever equivalent of God you pray to William was available...I think she's actually not that unhappy how things worked out..." Please...For sparing me from a daily dose of you alone, I thank the gods for Walthrop's sudden appearance...he thought, giving her a benevolent smile...

"As I said, true love..." Henri began...

"Bollocks!..." a shout from within... "Andrew told you I was alive!..."

"You coulda stayed in Rome!...Ummn..." an answering shout... "Hah!...So, you knew I came to Rome...You knew I was alive!..."

"Uh...You coulda come to Rome..." a somewhat feeble retort... "Yeah..." the retort gathering strength... "You left me hangin' all those months...Not knowin' if you didn't believe..." "All...Those...Months, eh?..."

Uh, I mean since Andy tole me...Willow wasn't sure when... "Willow...Wasn't...Sure..." he repeated...

"I love you...Henri was just filling in..." she played her despairation card...

"Willow?..." Angel eyed Dawn... Filling?...Henri blinked... "Willow did a seance...I asked her to..." Dawn sighed...

"You had Willow check on me?...When?..." a somewhat happier tone... "Oh, yeah...Right back in October..." an eager reply... "She said you were around on Earth somewhere, couldn't pin you down..."

She had Willow checkin'...Dawn rolled eyes...Angel giving her a sympathetic look...Dawn...

"You had Willow looking for him?..." he smiled at her...Filling...In?...Henri mumbled...

"I just wanted to know he was ok...Soul and all safe in Heaven..." Dawn nodded... "I wasn't very nice to him last year...I kinda felt bad after it was all over, him saving us and all...And I, I sorta missed him...He was always so much fun when we hung out after Buffy was gone..." she was silent a moment, then perked a bit "...Buf was glad to hear he was ok after Willow did it and we told her...Ummn..."

"And knowing I was around, you left it at that...?" a rather more strident tone resumed from behind the door...

"You coulda come to Rome!..."

"Well...Suppose we just let true love take its natural course..." Henri hissed...Angel nodding solemnly...

"Immortal Beloved..." LV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away"

on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I lied...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

London, Heathrow Airport...One night, four months after the defeat of the Senior Partners in LA...

A strolling Buffy, Dawn beside her, paused to stare at the short, blonde-haired man sitting quietly in a lobby chair...Listening to a tape player without headphones...

"William?..." she came over to him... "Buffy?...Dawn?...Nice to see you..."

"What are you doing here?..." she eyed him...A nervous look...Dawn eyeing him coolly as well...

"Some business for our firm's European office...Basically, cleaning out the European office..." he grinned...

"Rape any other Slayers while you were at it...?" Dawn sneered... "Dawn..." Buffy muttered...

"Sorry...Bad memories of the guy who let my sis down..." Dawn eyed him...

"Sorry, Will..." Buffy sighed... "It's ok...Dawn's right...I did let you both down that time...Though it was pre-soul..."

"That's a neat excuse..." Dawn grinned coldly... "Almost as good as Angel's for not being there for sis that year she came back from the grave..."

Dawn...Buffy frowned...She shrugged... "Fine...Maybe I shoulda included ...As good as Buffy's for not bringing you back herself...Or calling you when you came back..." A dark look from Buffy...

"Andy told us when he got back from LA...We were just thrilled..." Dawn grinned sarcastically...

"Dawn...Enough..." Buffy glared coldly... "It's ok, Buf..." Will nodded...

"I heard you slaughtered the Partners...Nice..." she nodded now to Will, smiling a bit...While Dawn maintained a haughtily reserved air...Looking round the lobby a bit...

"Things well in Rome, Slayer?..." "Fine, fine...Had a little down time and decided to take Dawny on a little trip before my university classes resume..." "Very nice...Are you here in England?...Staying with Giles, perhaps?..."

No...Not staying with Giles...she shook her head... "In fact he doesn't know we're out here...Kinda flew the coop..."

Work with the Slayers and all...Plus my new classes...Was all getting a bit much...We needed a break...

"Great...Well, mum's the word if I should speak to your Chairman by phone when I get back to LA..."

"Buffy's with the Immortal now you know..." Dawn chimed in... "A fabulous guy, in case you hadn't heard..."

Dawn...Buffy hissed... "William, you understand I hope...I mean...Back at Sunnydale and all..."

"You were just being kind...I understand, Buf...I told you I did, remember?...And it was very kind..."

"Course..." Dawn interrupted again...A hard look in her eye... "You know His Benevolence is a vamp...But just way outta your league...Wealthy, powerful..."

Dawn...Stop it...Buffy hissed, pulling at her...

"It's fine...I understand, Buffy..."

"I do wish you'd've come to Rome before...It might've made a difference..." she eyed him... "Dawn is right about you're being gutless there, no offense..."

Though I guess it's true...I was just being kind... she spoke hastily...Dawn eyeing her...

No offense...Taken...he smiled...A hair brittlely...

"Yeah...Pity you didn't have the same guts Spike once had...You might've had a chance with sis if you'd shown before the Immortal..." Dawn eyed him coldly...

"Enough, Dawn..." Buffy waved a hand... "Just letting your ex- know what he missed, sis..."

"Well...Things are what they are, right?..." he smiled faintly...Fiddling a bit more with his tape player...

"Yeah..." Dawn leered... "But say, sis hasn't told you the big news..." Buffy stared at her, looking a bit puzzled...And uncomfortable... "Go on and show your ex-, sis...You got the photos..."

Oh...Right...She turned to her bag...Ummn...

Go on...Dawn frowned... "William will be so interested to see..."

She reluctantly pulled out a wallet from her bag...Opening it...Revealing among various photos, several of an infant...A girl...Ranging from apparently just after birth to about six months...

Will stared...At the female spitting image of one Alexander Harris... "See..." Dawn grinned maliciously... "Big news..."

"You and..." he stared at Buffy...

"Yeah..." Dawn smiled... "They finally hit it off...After you croaked..."

Ummn...Buffy looked away, sighing... "Uh...Yeah...It was a spur of the moment thing...We were lonely...Drunk..."

"She's beautiful...Though I don't see a lot of you in her..." Will told her quietly... "Well, she's all sis'..." Dawn chuckled...Xander having displayed his usual fortitude in such matters...

"We decided it was best I keep her..." Buffy nodded... "Xander's a fool when it comes to responsibility, you know..." she gave a hard look... "But she's cute...And Henri...The Immortal...Likes kids..."

"Loves em..." Dawn grinned...

Nice...Will nodded...Well...Congrats... "Thanks..." Buffy bit a lip... "One more drawback to you, eh William...?" Dawn smiled...

"I suppose, Dawn..." he answered quietly...Well...

"So what's the name?..."

Ummn...Buffy eyed Dawn... "Anne..." Dawn noted... Yeah, Buffy nodded... A faint smile... "Anne..."

"Xander wanted Anya...But we told him to go to hell, right sis?..."

"Anne Harris?...A fine name..." Well...He looked at the girls...Dawn frowning a bit...Buffy looking rather...He turned back to the tape player...

"There...At last got the thing running..." he beamed...As the strains of "I've Got You Under My Skin..." played ..."'Fraid I'm a sucker for Cole Porter..." he grinned...

"Always the romantic..." Buffy smiled back... "Wish you'd follow through a bit more, though..."

"Yeah..." Dawn sneered slightly...

Well...The way it goes with love, sometimes...he smiled again, shrugging... Buffy staring...William?...

"Well, must be off...Got a plane to catch...It was nice seeing you both again...Drop by LA some time if you can..." he headed off...

Yeah...Buffy stared after him... "I've Got You Under My Skin..." still playing from the player he'd left behind...

Geesh...Dawn shook her head... "What a weak-kneed putz...All that chasing after you and ..."

She eyed Buffy coldly now...As her sis continued to stare after the vanishing Will...

"His Benevolence won't be too pleased, sister...You should have dusted him...Or at least driven him to the despair of a tan attempt tomorrow morning..."

Our sire will not be pleased...she frowned...

"I'm tired of being Henri's doormat...Sire or no..." 'Buffy' fumed... " 'Sides, I can deal with William any time...We weren't expecting to meet up with him here..."

And it was good practice playing human...she insisted...For when we have to meet up with Giles and Willow at last...Surely even Henri would appreciate that...Especially fooling William...

"You still like that fool, don't you?...You silly bitch..." Dawn shook her head... "Just thank the demon gods he's a romantic idiot and our Master's human glam concealed our natures from him..."

No wonder you were such an easy prey for the Master...A little phony pining after redemption, a little sympathy for your poor wittle William...

"Shut up..." Anne, demon of Buffy, eyed her sister coldly... "At least I don't go round calling Henri 'Lord and Master', prostrating myself before his photograph a dozen times a day..."

"He's our Sire...Show a little respect...And get any dopey notions about that traitor to our kind outta your head..."

"As Buffy I ate clowns like 'His Benevolence' for breakfast, once...I don't intend to let him push me around...As for William...I want Spike...And when the right time comes, I'll get him..."

"Yeah?...Well your dimwitted hero left his little music box behind...Gee, maybe he'll come back for it and you tell him how much you really cared..."

"Hmmn... 'I've Got You Under My Skin...'...I think he meant to leave that..." Anne smiled faintly...

"He still loves me...I..."

"Too bad he doesn't know...Well, we'll have our chance to tell him in our sire's good..."

"Fraid I do know, ladies..." a voice from behind...They whirled to see William eyeing them carefully...

Both sisters now looked at the player in shock as a chant began...Dawn looking at Anne in anger and fear... "You stupid...!" It was over before she could turn back to spring at Will...

"Buffy...?" Dawn wanly stared... "Yeah..." Buffy nodded and turned to William...

"The curse, huh?..." "Yeah..." he nodded...

"I'm so sorry, William..." "I'm the one who's sorry, Buf...I should have come...This was my fault..."

I think I killed...A bunch of people...Dawn stared at William, then Buffy in shock...

"Not you, Nibs...Your demon..." Will told her... "You didn't, Dawn..." Buffy agreed., hugging the shaken, trembling Dawn...

"Anyway...I was the idiot who fell for the Immortal's redemption-seeking line...And got drunk one night with him..." she looked up at William...

"Guess he reminded me of somebody...Somebody who, in spite of his nature...Never let me down once he told me he loved me..." William smiling gently at her wan face...

Buffy...

"I'm dead..." Dawn said blankly... "Dead and a murderess..."

"No, honey..." Buffy rocked her... "You are not a murderess...And as for dead, well...It's a relative concept..." she smiled at Will...

"Buffy..." Will reached to her... "We have to get you and Dawn to LA at once...There is a chance...Willow says..." "Willow knows?..." Buffy stared...Looking down... "She and Giles guessed after you both left Rome so suddenly and reports of two remarkably capable female Slayer-killing vamps matching your descriptions started spreading...They contacted us in LA..." "Slayer-killing?...Oh, right..." Dawn sighed... "...Though it was clever of His Benevolence to have you use covering glams and spare Andrew to tell everyone you were fine, dandy, and enjoying a new romance..."

Naturally Andy never noticed we were turning viciously evil and staying home by day, even if he couldn't help not being able to see past the glam that we were vamps...Dawn frowned...Moron...

"Anyway...Willow's done some work and if she can get to you both quickly...At the Well of Souls in our place...She may be able to restore you to Humanity..."

Whoa?...

"But it has to be done within twenty hours of soul recovery and the spell's damaged by teleportation, so there's no time to lose..."

Right...Buffy nodded...Then paused... "William?...You know it was a lie what my demon said...About Sunnydale...What I said that day...It was the reason the Immortal was able to get to me...I needed so bad to make you see I did mean it...And he was clever enough to make himself the perfect stand-in..."

"Later, Buffy...The thing to do is to get..." "No, now..." she shook her head... "Here you are saving me and Dawn again and I'm not taking a step until you know and believe...I love you, William..."

And I can deal with giving up a picket fence...she grinned...

And as for Xander's kid...she grinned... "Amelia Anya Harris is a doll, as her mother, Amelia Harris, would tell you in a minute..."

"I vouch..." Dawn nodded... "She was a wreck...And a perfect setup for His..." she shuddered...Buffy hugging her tight... "That...Bastard..."

And, Buf's right... Amelia An is a doll...she grinned wanly...

"Whom, thank God, we haven't seen in the flesh since she was here with her parents before the...That thing...Showed..."

Say?..she asked...We do get to kill him...Soon?...

"Right now, if you like..." Will grinned... "Angel!..." he called...Angel emerging from the men's room down the hall, His Benevolence firmly in his grip...

"We couldn't leave our dear Immortal out of this party..."

"Angel..." Buffy sighed as he came over, the Immortal feebly struggling in his grip... "Thanks..."

"Don't mention it..." he smiled... "Just watch the sort of vamp you hang out with from now on..."

Odd...Dawn sighed, trembling again as she stared at the Immortal's fear-distorted face as he made vague sounds of pleading for mercy...

This is the only real father I ever had...Daddy being mine only in false memory...

"Please..." she eyed William... "Just make him go away...Quick?"

"We will, honey..." Buffy nodded...

"Bring him over there..." she pointed...Angel nodding and dragging...

"Will?..." she eyed him, then glanced at Dawn...

"Your sis...And step-daughter...Needs you..." she smiled...He nodded and led Dawn away...

So...She asked him nervously as he pulled her away...

Do I still drink blood or what?...

"Henri..." Buffy eyed the Immortal as Angel held him in the well-hidden corner where he'd dragged him ... "There was a time when at this point I would've made a dumb joke or what I took to be a sharp remark...I'm ashamed now to think I've dealt with people like my William and poor Drusilla like that..."

I'm grateful to you, in a way...For showing me what this side of things is like...Giving me new eyes to appreciate, really appreciate...What my Will and Angel and all the others have gone through...

"But...You hurt my sis...My daughter, in a mystic sense...And for that I can't forgive you...Not that I would let you go in any case..."

Still...she paused... "May God have mercy on your poor soul...And all the poor souls..." And staked him...

"Angel...?" she eyed him as they now both glanced back to where William was gently talking to Dawn...

"I'm sorry to have let Giles make me doubt..." He put up a hand... "There was good cause, Buf...I did it for my boy and maybe...Maybe a leetle too much pride and overconfidence...I was sure I could handle them and they played on that..."

"But thanks..." he beamed...

"Has my boy been doing well?..." she grinned... "A credit to the girl who had faith in him..." he nodded...

"But never lifted a finger to help him..." she sighed...Looking over again...

"Willow's idea...The Humanity thing?...Will it help you...And Will?..." No...he shook his head... "It's much too late for us...This can only help the very recently turned..."

But there's always the hope for that one special day...he grinned... "As, I'm afraid...I have kinda dragged out on you a little too often..."

Maybe William's approach...Being here for the one you love now...Is the way to go...he sighed, smiling...

"Is Nina nice?..." Better than I deserve, no doubt about it...he nodded... "Good...Then she'll hold you up to the mark..." Yeah...he grinned...

"Thanks for taking care of him for me..." she eyed him... "I know what it must've cost you..."

Well...The cash I'll deduct from his future salary...Believe me...he smiled...

"The emotional...Well...After the initial desire to shove him off to Hell wore off, he kinda grew on me..."

"I'm not sure what to do now, Angel...Not that I don't love him...But..." she sighed...

Making him watch me rot away and die...

"He'll stake himself on your last day...He's got it all planned out, down to a sunrise ceremony to be certain...Been driving me crazy this last week going over it..."

She smiled wanly and looked away...

"It had to be the curse, huh...?" she sighed...

"Not...THE curse..." Angel eyed her...She blinked...

Willow's made a few adjustments...

Regarding the happiness quotient...As it's no longer intended for revenge...he smiled...

I see...she grinned...

"I think...While you guys get Dawny to her plane seat, I'll just use the ladies room for a little while...I noticed it's a long, confusing way there...If I do get lost, tell Will to wait for me?"

I wouldn't wanna miss the last plane to LA outta here for twelve hours...And my chance for human restoration...she smiled...Angel smiling back...

"He'll wait...Till the end of the world...I know..." she grinned...

"And I'll be there with him..."

"Immortal Beloved..." LVI...

...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I lied regards stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Sides, after 51, I had to do another nice one to balance things out then I had to balance that one...And there was that mistake with the numbers earlier...I mean there's no choice but to press on (over your pleading screams to desist, no doubt...)

"So..." Dawn stepped quietly into the room...Xander looking up at her from where he was tending the large television...Rewinding a tape...

"How's the best sis in the world today?..." she smiled at the wan-looking figure in robe sitting quietly in the chair next to Xander...Moving to give a hug which was barely acknowledged, let alone returned...A slight troubled, clouded look briefly coming over the Slayer's haunted face as she vaguely eyed the newcomer, then turned back to the TV...Which had started again...

A slightly graying Jimmy Stewart, talking anxiously to a lovely blonde lady who seemed a little out of it...Dawn briefly noted...

"It's Dawn, Buffy..." Xander said carefully... "She's come to see you..."

"Yeah..." A hearty cheeriness... "Got lots to tell ya, sis...Things are really cookin' out in Slayerland these days...Your girls are wiping up the mat with the baddies...Though they can't wait to have their Number One, Greatest, back...I'm putting together my stuff to apply to the University of Milan and some other places...And Giles, Willow, Andrew, and some other folks are coming by in a little while..."

That'll be nice, right?...she eyed her blankly staring sis...

The room door opened and a doctor came in, with nurse...Dawn looking at them with a troubled expression...

"There's nothing wrong?..." The doctor shook his head...Just the daily visit...We've been a little delayed today...The nurse gently pulling at Buffy's arm to strap a blood pressure gauge...

The doctor began doing a few standard tests, trying to catch Buffy's attention as she returned to watching the TV screen where Jimmy as Scottie Ferguson was now showing Kim Novak's troubled Madeleine Elster around a stable... "See...There an explanation for everything..." he was saying as a wan Madeleine looked round...

"How..." Dawn began... "She's about the same as usual...But remaining fairly calm on her new meds..." the doctor gave her a reassuring smile...Returning to Buffy...Who seemed to be showing a vague interest in the film...

"Has she been watching like this all day?..." he looked at Xander who nodded... "She seemed to like this one from the video library...Maybe it's the blonde girl...I've been running it back and forth on some scenes she was kinda following..."

Hmmn...

"Is that good?..." Dawn eyed the doctor...Knowing already what his response would be...The usual... 'Possibly'...

Possibly...the doc nodded...Right...Dawn sighed...

"How long is this gonna take, doc?...You said you were sure she'd pull out of it...It's been months since..." she paused... London...Xander mentally filling in... London, where her incessant, worsening nightmares became 24/7mares... "...and you haven't even been able to tell us exactly what's up..."

"She's suffering from acute melancholia, complicated by a guilt complex..." Xander eyed the Slayer, now a bit more intent on the screen, wisely...The doctor and Dawn staring at him..

Well...He indicated the screen...That's what Scotty Ferguson's suffering from...Later on...

"And the cases do seem kinda similar..." he noted...Dawn and the doctor frowning

"I believe she's improving slowly, Ms Summers...As you know, she's generally much calmer now...But it may be some time..."

"Six months to a year for Scotty..." Xander noted...Dawn frowning at 'Dr.' Harris...

Doctor?...the nurse was having trouble getting Buffy let her take a pulse...Moving her arms and trying to slow edge toward the screen...Where Madeleine was pleading with Scotty to let her go to the mission church building across from the stable... "You believe that I love you...?" she began...

Buffy moved closer, staring more intently...

"Sis...?" Dawn stared at her, then the screen...

"Could you freeze the scene a sec?..." the doctor asked...Sure...Xander halted the tape...Buffy blinking a bit, then settling down to a quiet stare again...The nurse taking her pulse...

"Haven't seen her so responsive in a while..." the doctor noted...

A knock at the door...Dawn went over...

"Sarah...Your Benev...Hey..." Dawn nodded to the couple just outside, welcoming them in...A young-looking, almost divinely handsome man and...A twin of Buffy...

"Ms. Gellar, Count d'Vestigy...Dr. Eckles..." she introduced them to the doctor who stared a bit at Ms. Gellar...

"Ms. Gellar?...The actress...?..."

"And Slayer..." Dawn smiled... "It's ok, doc...She's one of the new Slayers...And Buffy's stand-in while Buf's..." she paused... "...Been ill..."

And Count d'Vestigy is the famed Immortal...Our friend and her uh...Intended...

"Just tryin' to keep things quiet while we waitin' for Buf to get back on her feet..." Sarah smiled at Buffy...

"A secret that doesn't leave this room..." Dawn eyed the doctor and nurse sternly...

"I see..." Dr. Eckles nodded... "Chairman Giles had told me in confidence you'd secured someone to take Ms. Summers' place...Amazing..." he eyed Ms. Gellar who smiled... "Luck of nature, doc..." she grinned...And turned to the quiet Buffy...Who was staring at Xander now...As if wanting him to do something...

Ms. Gellar giving her a gentle hug as the Immortal gave Buffy a kind smile... "Miss Summers...How are you today?..." She now blankly staring at her twin, the faintest of smiles on her lips...Sarah now giving Dawn, then Xander a careful look...

Something up...Xander realized...

"Thanks for coming by guys...Buffy?...Wasn't it nice of the Immortal and Ms. Gellar to come by on their visit from Rome to the Council and see us?..." Dawn pressed a bit...

Buffy gave a slightly more focused stare at her near-identical twin...A vaguely puzzled look as Ms. Gellar stepped back a bit at the doctor's hasty glance... "Hello, Buffy?...Do you remember me?...You trained me here in London for a week when I came after being activated as a Slayer a few months ago?...It was so odd that we looked so much alike, remember?..."

Buffy was still...Dawn sensing the wisps of some fear or anxiety... "Buffy...Sarah looks like you, you remember...There's nothing to be afraid of...She's been helping us while you've been ill...She's an actress, so she's been playing at being you so you wouldn't be bothered here while you got well again...Remember her Scooby Doo movies?...(Wish I could forget them...Sarah thought, sighing a bit...)...We saw them and you were so startled to see how much she looked like you?..." A vague hint of a smile... "Yeah, that's right...Sarah's our friend...There's nothing to be concerned about..."

"That's right, Buffy..." Sarah gently smiled at her...The doctor nodding for her to come forward, again, she did so and took Buffy's hand... "We used to joke that we must've been twins separated at birth, remember?...Here in London?..."

Yeah...Dawn encouraged...Buffy apparently losing interest, stared at the paused TV screen, then again at Xander...The faintest air of expectation...

Should I?...he stared at the doctor who nodded... "We're finished...Enjoy your movie, Ms. Summers..."

Let me know if she continues to follow it...he eyed Xander...The nurse packing up and following him out the door...Buffy giving a vague aura of contentment as the film resumed...Sarah stepping back to the Immortal who put a arm around her as she looked at him..."I guess we'd better tell..." she began...He nodding... She moved to Dawn...Pulling her over, away from a Buffy now focused on the scene in progress...

"...And if you lose me now..." Madeleine was saying... "You'll know I loved you and wanted to go on loving you..."

Dawn...Sarah hissed... I hafta to talk to you...Something's happened...

"Last night I was talkin' to Andrew at the apartment after Henri brought me home...He was all upset about something big going down in LA with Angel and his people there...And then, suddenly...He told me I...Ummn, you know...Buffy...Had to go to LA...Right away..."

That's why Henri and I came straight here...

"Was it that bad?...I know Giles said Angel seemed to have gotten himself into some pretty deep..."

No...Sarah shook her head... Not Angel...This wasn't about Angel...

"Sarah?...Dawn?...This film..." the Immortal suddenly interrupted...She paused and looked in shock at the TV screen...Holy shit, that's...

My God...Xander?...She stared at Xander...Buffy glued to the screen, shoving Dawn off as she tried to pull her away...Xander, suddenly realizing the film had taken a rather downbeat, shattering course, fumbled with the remote buttons...

"Uh...Uh...Ahhh!..." Buffy screamed at the TV set...Dawn and the others turning to see Scotty Ferguson, desperately staggering up the stairs he could never climb, trying to stop his Madeleine from rushing to her doom at the top of the mission bell tower...A doom he could not avert as her falling body passed by the window he'd barely managed to struggle to...Her scream echoing in his ears...

The film jumped forward...A cold on-screen voice quietly, sanctimoniously accusing... "...He claims to have suffered a mental blackout...And to remember nothing until he found himself in his apartment several hours later...That you may chose to believe...On oath...Or you may choose to believe..That having once again allowed some one to die through his...Weakness...He ran away..."

"Ahhhh!...Ahhhhhhh!..." Buffy shrieked, staring in horror at the screen...

"XANDER!...Goddamn you!..." Dawn rushed over to shut the set off... "...What the hell were you thinkin' puttin' a movie like that on...With a death scene like that...!"

"Xander?.. 'Vertigo'?..." Sarah shook her head, staring briefly at the videotape box ...Holding the screaming, sobbing Buffy in her arms...Buffy...Buffy...It's all right...Shhh...shhh... "Nonono!...William!..." Buffy cried... "No!...No!." she twisted desperately...Dawn hurrying over... "It's all right, Buffy...It's just a movie...Just a movie...Not real...Not real, honey..." she hugged her, Sarah releasing her but maintaining a Slayer hold on her arm...

"Just a movie some thoughtless idiot put on..." Dawn glared at Xander...As Buffy's screams faded a bit, turning to racking sobs...

The Immortal eyeing the chagrined, downcast Xander sympathetically as he joined Dawn and Sarah at Buffy's side...Standing by in case a single Slayer was not enough restraint...

She seemed to be following it...I thought she liked it...Xander feebly noted as he removed the tape...

"Immortal Beloved..." LVII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary:Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Sides, after the last one, I had to do another nice one to balance things out...And there was that mistake with the numbers earlier...I mean there's no choice but to press on (over your pleading screams to desist, no doubt...)

Night...LA, the alleyway of the just-ended battle with the Senior Partners...Who'd just retreated back to their hell portal in panic as reinforcements had arrived to bolster Angel and his associates in the nick of time...

"Where is he, Angel?..." Buffy in despair, pulling barrels, ripping out boards in the alleyway walls, looking for any place where a badly wounded individual might have crawled for protection...Or a body might have been dumped...

The battered Angel, in rough shape himself, but as determined as his companion to find his...What the hell, yes...Partner...he noted to himself, shook his head slowly...Wincing a bit at the pain...

"Dad..." Connor's worried tone... "We've gotta get you to a hospital..." "Later..." Angel waved a hand...

"Angel...Ms. Summers...!" a cry from back up the alleyway...

Illyria...They turned to find her supported a wan-looking, stumbling blonde... "William!..." Buffy ran back... "William!..." she grabbed at him...

"Buffy?..." he stared... "You came...They said you'd come..." he staggered a bit...

"Yes, yes...Will...Oh, William...I came as soon as I could after I heard...Just a leetle problem with the Immortal, that bastard...He was working with the Partners to keep us apart...He..."

"My God!..." she put a hand to her mouth... "You...You're...Human..."

Yeah, fraid so...he smiled wearily... "Apparently, my good deeds filled the stamp book...I was with the Guardian of the Prophecy after I'd thought three of the Partners had finished me..."

"Next thing I knew...After what seemed like five years of trials...Here I was..."

"Oh..." Buffy eyed him...Then Angel...Uh...

"That's...Ummn...Great..."

"You said..." he leaned on her arm a bit... "The Immortal?..."

"They sent him to keep me busy...They knew I'd learn you were back...And he played every trick...Angelus was never half so good...Uh...Sorry, Angel..." she turned to him...It's fine, he smiled...

But gave William a strange look...Sympathetic, somehow...He staggered a bit...

"Connor, you better take your dad to the ambulances..." Buffy noted...Yeah...Connor nodded... "I'm..." Angel began... "Come..." Illyria dragged him off... "I am very weak and in need of care and will need you to guide me through the LA hospital system..." she lifted him over her shoulder as Will and Buffy stared, Connor following...

"So the Immortal..." Will began... "Played me like a harp..." she sighed... "But it was the redemption, remorse song that got me..."

I thought you were gone forever, Will...And Willow's in hot water with Osiris since she blasted him after Tara...There was no way to get you back...

"Forgive me?..."

"Buffy...There's nothing..."

She whacked him one... "The Hell there's nothing to forgive!...Why the Hell didn't you call me?...What kept you from hoppin' on a plane the day you went solid?...Oh, I know...Your pure sacrifice...Wow...So...Angelic..." she rolled eyes...

I know...she sighed...Looking down... "You never believed me for a moment...You let yourself die thinking..."

Will, how could you?...she shook her head...

"I believed it, Buffy...For that one moment...But..."

"But?...You son of Drusilla!...Bastard!...Do you know what I been going through?...What I was willing to do to be with you?..."

Hell, you are Goddamn-lucky I got Andy to spill the beans and caught on to the Immortal's little game in time...she glared...

"Else I wouldn't be human-souled now and this would be ending very differently..." she took demon-face...

"Buffy?..." he stared in shock...

"After I realized what was up Immortalwise, I figured nothing would prove it better than to go along with part of his little scheme..." she smiled fondly... "Of course Willow thought it was a modified happiness-permissable curse for Angel...Not something for me, although I am giving it to him to see if it can help..."

And it...Would've...Eased me of the last block between us...Having to have you watch me rot and die...

A sheepish grin...Guess it works out though really...

"The family can hardly object to you now..." she grinned...

"You're a vampire..." he shook his head in wonder... "Let the Immortal turn you..." With soul, she insisted..."You can check me out and Angel will vouch..."

"Well..." he eyed her coolly... "Fine mess you've gotten us into now, Summers..."

Me?...She glared... "You and your macho noble quest...Proving you could outdo Angel..."

I did say, provin'...You heard that?...she grinned...Though for poor Angel's sake I will never say it except between us...

"What?..." She stared at his shaking head...

"Well, I sure as hell don't want you now, Summers...You're a filthy beast of the night and I'm a human being again..."

William?...

"Now, after a bath...And if you'd brush those fangs..."

"So..." Will eyed her as they strolled arm-in-arm down an alleyway filled with the dead and...Well, pretty much all dead...The Slayer takes no chances with her honey...Enemy...

"Just what gave you this brilliant idea to let His Lucky-to-be-Dustiness transform you...?"

Hey guys!...a newly arrived Dawn ran up from where she'd been held back by Willow...Who frowned from down the alley at Buffy the rather sheepish Vampire...

Hey, Wil...she waved... "Found him, alls..." "Suicidial Jerk!..." Willow politely replied, shaking a fist...

"So my idiot sis with you know what for brains show you the new face...?" Dawn frowned...

"Guess Spike must be chortlin' inside there somewhere..." she eyed William...

He's...Ummn...Human...Buffy noted, biting a lip...(Sucking the blood down as discreetly as possible...)

"Really?...Great...Lovely...Gotta hand it to you, sis..."

"Buffy?...What in God's name made you do this without speaking to me about it?..." Will sighed...

Hey...The Summers girls gave a united glare...Personal matter of choice here, pal...

"Well...I thought of you..." Buffy sighed... "All alone...Forever...Even if I got you to believe what I'd said before..."

I wanted to give you a Gift, Will...Like the Gifts you've been giving me...A love token...

"Been reading , eh... 'Gift of the Magi'?" he eyed her...Oh, yeah...Buffy nodded hastily...Exactly...

Oh, please...Dawn rolled her eyes...

"Or maybe you watched 'Shrek' one night?...The princess' 'true love's form' speech...?" he grinned...

Well...That's romantic too...he smiled at her somewhat crestfallen face...

"Look...This is strictly against procedure and twenty thousand years of custom..."

The interdimensional reception room of the Guardian of the Prophecy...Where Willow had brought William, Dawn, and vamped Buffy...

"What's the big deal?..." William frowned... "We just want one additional transformation to Humanity...And God knows, Buffy Summers has certainly earned it..."

Aw, Will...she beamed...

"This is strictly against procedure!..." the floating head of the Guardian fumed... "And if you're thinking of trying what you tried with Osiris, Ms. Rosenberg...I am not physical..."

Play

"Oh, the Night...Is my world..." Buffy began singing in low voice...Doing vamp face at Dawn..."Ooooh...Dawnie, lookie at fiendish Buffy..."

Knock it off, sis...a hiss... "She's kinda out of it, it's been a long day for her..." she explained to the frowning head...

And judgin' by her breath, she took a few belts on the plane in from Rome...she hissed to William...

"C'mon..." Willow sighed... "If you can't approve it, just let us speak to the guy over you..."

"Take us up to the Top Gent, if you like..." William nodded...

"Wearin' white...As I'm walkin'...Down the street of the soul...Oh, I...I live among the crea-tures of the Night..." Hey, Dawnie...Dawnie...low voice... "I vant to suck your blood..." demon-face...

"Will ya knock it off?..." fuming hiss... "You're the Greatest Slayer for cripessake...And you're embarrassin' your boyfriend..."

"Am I Will?..." "Nah, cut loose while you got the chance, love..."...he grinned... "With luck this won't take long..." he turned to glare at the Guardian...Who fumed...Hey, kid...I bent the rules for you already...

Lota help you are...Dawn William...Letting your girl act like this in front of a biggee...

"My fiancee is just dealing with a tense sit..." he explained to the Guardian smoothly...

"City lights, painted girls..." Buffy resumed...Then paused... Ummn... "Say, guys...About that vanting to suck blood?..."

I was kidding, ya know...But I am just a teeny-weeny...Lil'...Bit...she eyed them...William passed a blood packet... "Had a couple left over..." he smiled...Thanks,honey...a contented beam... Uh... "Wil, Dawn...Don't look for the next minute or so..." she eyed Willow and Dawn...

Bon appetit...Dawn glared...Turning away...

Whoa!...A scream... "William!..." He whirled...As Willow moved onto laying out her threat potential to the Guardian...I can reach right into your home dimension...she began...And... "You and what Wiccan army...?" he sneered...

"William!...Fiancee!...Are you askin'?...'Cause hot damn if you are, I'm acceptin'!.." Buffy cried out happily...

Oh, that's some way to ask my sis, the Greatest Slayer of ever...Dawn glared...

"Sorry, it slipped out...I really did want to do it the more formal way..." he sighed... "Screw the formal way, we done waited long enough!...Though you can ask again me at a restaurant or a party with the guys later on..." Buffy beamed...

"I can call in power reserves from the Council of Watchers..." Willow frowned... "Pfffft...'The Council of Watchers', gee...Now I'm scared..." the Guardian chuckled coldly... "You people got ten to vacate or I call in my guards..."

"This is just gonna take a few, guys..." Willow called back...

"Oh-oh-oh...Oh-oh-oh...Oh-oh-oh...Oh-oh-oh..." Buffy resumed her song...Strutting round as she sang... "Oh, the Night is my world..." The Guardian grimacing...Must she keep singing?...It's hurting even my disembodied ears...

"Are you critiquing my fiancee's singing, mate?..." Will glared...Lord, even I can't take much more, Willow thought...

A first-rate place...You can afford it on your salary with Angel now...And you're gonna do the bended knee, the ring, the flowers...Dawn hissed to him...And a half-decent poem...

"You know the Slayer can keep at this all night if need be..." Willow solemnly nodded...

"I know the Night is not as it would seem!...I must believe in somethin' so I'll make myself believe...Tonight will never go...Oh-oh-oh!..." Hah!...she donned demon face...

"Geesh, and I used to think this would be my worst nightmare..." she grinned at William... "It's kinda fun, actually..."

"Excepting the bloodlust tearing at my soul of course...Driving me to the edge of..." she gave another hah! and snarl...

"That's not funny, Buffy...Think of William...You're dredging up..." Dawn began...

OH!... "God, honey...I'm sorry!...That was so stupid!..." Buffy hurried over... "I didn't mean it, just kiddin' round..."

"It's fine, pet..."

"And you know what I could do to you!..." the Guardian glared at Willow who'd resumed the 'threat potential' approach...

"Look, mate..." Will went over to them... "Now, you must've been considering a possible scenario where Angel and I both would show here..."

"City Lights, Painted Girls!..." Buffy began again...Ohhh...the Guardian winced...

"And you could make it four additional transformations while you're at it..." William smiled...

Hmmn?...Willow and Dawn stared...

Four?...Oh...Buffy beamed...My sweet, thoughtful Champion of a poet...

"Buffy, Angel, Dru, and Harmony..." he explained...

Ah, c'mon...The Guardian frowned... "Two of 'em don't even have souls...That's pushin' my...And my superiors' benevolent nature, pal..."

"Like you didn't expect we'd be dragging Dru and Harmony in later?..." Will eyed him...

Isn't he wonderful?...Buffy gushed to Dawn...So compassionate?... "Shut up..." Dawn made a sour look...Hey...Buffy glared... "That's your brother-in-law and surrogate dad you're talkin' about..."

"I'll never get four additional passed upstairs..."

"Well, then..." William beamed... "Lets settle in for another chorus..."

"Ok..." the Guardian sighed... "Anything to get her to stop...I'll speak to my people, hang on just a minute..." the head faded out...

"...I'm livin' in the forest of a dream!..." Hah!...Snarl...

"The answer's No!..." the head returned...

"WEARIN' WHITE...!...AS I"M WALKIN"...!"

"We're talkin' all night long..." Willow noted, eyeing Buffy happily strutting about the room in demon-face...

"Lemme try one more guy!..." the head vanished...

"Immortal Beloved..." LVIII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Sides, after the last one, I had to do another nice one to balance things out...And there was that mistake with the numbers earlier...I mean there's no choice but to press on (over your pleading screams to desist, no doubt...)

This one requires a little knowledge of my BR verse (., try one of the Semi-Parallel Lives tales to get a handle on the interdimensional Buffies as well...)

Downtown LA, just outside the ruins of the Wolfram-Hart tower...Night...

A badly battered William looked up to see...Hey...Willow waved...Buffy sliding down too fast beside him for him to immediately be sure...

"You're here?..." he whispered... "Yes, Will...I'm right here...It's gonna be fine, my baby..." she stroked his hair...Listen, darling...she breathed to him... "Willow and I are gonna take you to where we can get you some help..." "Angel, the others..." he twisted to look... "No, they're fine...The fight's over, Will...Look over there, there's Angel with..." Is that a dragon's head?...she hissed to Willow... "Not really an expert, Buf...But based on fairy tale and movie experience, I'd said ye-ah..."

Well anyway, she turned back to William... "The other guys are fine...Now just lay quiet a moment here and..."

Buffy...Willow eyed her...Buffy looked at the wiccan coolly...And rose... "Will, we hafta take care of one thing...Just stay quiet here and I'll be right back..."

"Don't..." he whispered... "I'm not going anywheres but with you, baby...Just a minute..."

Moving off with Willow... "Buffy!..." Angel waved... "Yeah, Angel...Nice dragon!..." she waved back... "Is Will ok?..." "Fine, fine...We're gonna move him in just a sec..."

"Buffy..." Willow hissed... "Angel's not surprised you're here...We had a deal...Only a William whose Buffy wasn't..."

"Do you see her here...?" Buffy waved a bit... "But if she..." "If she cared, why isn't she here?...Willow, there isn't much time...Angel is gonna find out who we aren't soon enough...This Buffy's people could check in anytime..."

Willow sighed...Buf...

"Willow, you promised you'd help me...You're the only one who can...And it's not like I won't give him a choice after he's recovered on our world and we explain things to him...If he wants to go back then, it's up to him..."

"Buffy, if we pull William from this world for you...And this Buffy does love him, just needs time or some humongous event, as you did, to realize just what he means to her..."

She could...

"End up like me?..." Buffy eyed her friend coldly... "Capable of doing what I did?..."

"Everything you've learned on our world regarding you and Will says that he's essential to you...When the chains of events leading you back to him was broken on our world, the effect on you..." Willow paused...

"When she came to our world, did she wait to see what it would do to me?..." "Different circumstances, Buffy...We had no idea what a link you and Will had...And she was seeking to fill her own gap herself...You and he weren't..."

"We would've been...If she hadn't come...If Warren hadn't..." Buffy paused... "It was Will's decision, Buffy...He thought there was no chance for him with you, so he did what Spike seemed to think was the next best thing, the only possible one...And you only...Suffered...Like this because of that mental merging with her..."

"Not only with her..." Buffy shook her head...Looking back at Will...We've gotta go back to him, he's looking for me...Needs me...she noted...

"Not only with her...With hundreds of them...My twin sisters across time and the universe...And all, all those who were happy...Were with him...Our soulmate...My other half..."

I'm incomplete without him...I know that now...And you've seen what the consequences of not having him with me were, Willow...

"Yes..." Willow sighed sadly... "We've seen..." They'd reached William, unconscious now...Buffy kneeling, then sitting to gently take up his head into her lap...She looked up at Willow...

"We've checked this world out...This Buffy's made her decision...She's taken this Immortal goonboy...And this William is alone, after winning his soul back...Willow?...His soul, won back?...He deserves the right to happiness with me as much as I do with him..."

And if we learn we've unbalanced the Buffy of this Earth by taking him?...Willow shook her head...

"She's fine...Happy...William...And I...Are the ones in torment...Willow?...Are you here to help me or should I have let them put me in jail?..."

"They wouldn't've...Charge you with what?...There was no way to prove you'd done anything...Only your confession...Our William will never know...And she...And the rest of us...have..."

Forgiven me?...No, Wil...Maybe some of you...Maybe even Dawn...But not her...No...

"What I did...Can't be forgiven...We both know that, my poor sis and me...But...For her Will's sake and you guys...She'll let it be buried...Try to forget..."

"I still can't believe you could have done it, Buffy..." Willow said simply, a terrible sadness in her eyes... "And I do believe you were insane..."

"I don't believe it myself...But whether I was half or fully out of my head...I did it...I..."...Buf...Willow patted her...A groan from William quieting them for a moment...Buffy stroking his head till he was quiet, then standing as Angel came over...

"Girls...How's..." "Fine..." they replied in chorus... "Well..." Buffy paused... "He needs to get to a hospital...Willow's gonna teleport us in just a mo..." He nodded and grinned... "He will be glad you made it, Buf...He's been terrified to face you and, well ...After our trip to Rome..."

"I love him...I'll take care of him, Angel...Don't worry, I promise..." she smiled at him... "I'm glad for you both..." he patted her... "But what about...His Bness?..." "Eh...He'll get over it...Quick...You'll be amazed..."

You really will, tomorrow, if we do get him outta here...Willow thought. glancing at William while maintaining a friendly smile at Angel...

"Well...I'd best go and see how Charlie's doing...I'll send more help back..." he moved off with a wave...

Nice as ours...Willow noted...Yeah, Buffy nodded... "Buf?...There is an Angel on our world...?"

"And a Warren who'd try his damnedest to love me as much as he loved his Katrina in spite of...What's happened...I know the options I have Willow..."

I've tried the options...Tried...And you know the result...she sighed...Well...

"You've seen quite a few of my nastier other selves in the trip's course, Wil...Not to mention some of your own darker selves...You know what I can be capable of...And last year, you all saw the proof..."

Even the Willow of this Earth's committed murder...A Warren, no less... Buffy eyed her companion...

Warren...By me...And him, evil, to boot...Willow shook her head...Such a bizarre universe where such things could be...But bound to occur in an infinite one, I guess...

And if I had lost my Tara...Yes...I think I could kill...she closed her eyes a moment...

"They're all sides of me...The good and bad...As with yours..." Buffy eyed her...

Help me, Willow...Best friend...The last to believe in my sin...The first to forgive me...There's no other option for me...Either I find a William to replace the one taken from me...Or...

"I continue down the path I took last year...I'm not threatening, Wil...Just stating a fact...I don't want it, didn't want it...Would, did fight my own self to avert it...But I know I can't prevent it, no matter how hard I try...Not without William..."

Sorry to disappoint and shatter your vision of my perfect nature...she smiled wanly... "But in the end, I'm only human...Like you..." she noted...A hard stare...

And if I am taking another Buffy's William...To all accounts an unwanted William...I'm only doing what was done to me...

"Just as Buffy Rebecca came to take mine..." she was cold... "I've passed on twenty other available Williams because their Buffies seemed to be about to take the plunge with them...This one's off in Europe with her Immortal boyfriend while Will's been alone here, nearly killed here, calling for her...For me..."

"I'm not about to wait around and see if she decides to reconsider...Please, Wil..."

"Immortal Beloved..." LIX...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Sides, after the last one, I had to do another nice one to balance things out...And there was that mistake with the numbers earlier...

I mean there's no choice but to press on (over your pleading screams to desist, no doubt...)

Angel and Will stood, watching their seated, disheveled, somewhat frantic, just admitted to their new offices, guest...Who'd run in, disguised in wig and long coat, begging for them to keep her presence secret...

"Guys, ya gotta help me!..." Buffy pleaded... The Immortal...

What, now we gotta rescue her boyfriends?...Angel eyed William...Who sighed...Natch...And the pathetic thing is, I'll probably do it too...

"What's happened to your latest?..." Angel turned back to her... "My...What?..." she stared...Then at Will... "You think...?"

"We were in Rome, Buf...Andrew told us how things were between..."

"That moron!..." she rolled her eyes... "William, you can't believe I'd...I mean without even checkin' on you?...Though you were a jackass coward not to come to me as soon as you went solid...Oh, is that what you thought...What an ass you are!...Oh, Will..." she sighed...

"But we saw you with..." Will began...But a light had flashed in his eyes...

"That wasn't me...And that's why I'm here...Guys I just escaped from the Immortal's castle...Two days ago, to be precise...The Buffy you saw in Rome is not me..."

The boys stared at each other... "She's a clone...An evil clone, no less, though that bastard was clever enough to train her to play me preety well...She even fooled Dawn for a while..."

Evil clone, naturally...I knew that...Angel nodded...

"He...Well, ok..." she eyed William sheepishly... "When I thought you were gone for good back in October he showed up and did the 'tormenting and suffering one seeking redemption' routine...Angelus' favorite game..." Not to mention...she did not say but frowned at Angel... "I fell for it...For a little while...But all he wanted was to get close to me...To gather some genetic material...Hair samples, skin scrapings...Ummn...Other things...So with help from your Senior Partners, Angel...He could build an anti-Slayer army to oppose ours...He's had me in his place since November..."

And now he's nearly succeeded...There were 1,000 Buffies in training and 10,000 more in prep when I escaped...

11,000 Evil Buffies...Hmmn...The boys eyed each other...Maybe not Angelus' but certainly Spike's view of Paradise...

"God, William...Why didn't you come?...You've guessed and we coulda stopped this..."

"Now wait a minute, Buffy..." Will eyed her... "I find it a little hard to believe you couldn't escape the Immortal in all this time..."

Unless...he paused...She nodded...

"His test prototype's in position to kill Dawn and all my family...She has my strength...What could I do?...Plus he had me drugged and guarded 24/7...I only managed to make my break the other day...I couldn't even risk trying to contact Giles..."

Hmmn...Having to kill 11,000 Buffies...In a way kinda cathartic...Angel desperately repressed the thought...

"Well, we'll do whatever we can, Buf..." he noted... "Of course our resources are more limited these days since we kicked the Partners' asses...But we'll do what we can, naturally..."

"Thanks, Angel...And congrats on the Big Win...Well?..." she eyed Will... "Are you gonna stand there like a log or are you gonna kiss me?..."

"How do you know these clones are evil?..." he stared at her... She stared at him... "Will, I was there for months...He naturally ranted his plans to me every chance he got...Besides, what?...You think he's going to use them as Peace Corps volunteers?"

He continued to stare...Ok, she sighed and gave a hard smile... "I see you figured it out..." she pulled a stake...Angel blinking...

"I know...Cause I'm one of them..." a malicious smile...Which suddenly was replaced by an anxious look... "But one sent by Buffy...Not under his control..."

"Uh-huh..." "Fine..." she lowered the stake...And handed it to him...Will quietly putting it on Angel's desk...

"Buffy sent you?...And got you free of the Immortal's control?..." Will gave her a hard look... "Isn't that unlikely...?"

"We all carry her memories...A benefit...And a drawback..." the clone noted coolly... "Unfortunately most of us are pretty well imprinted to serve His Benevolence..."

But, a few of us early prototypes were a tad...Defective...And, while not exactly world-saving compassionate heroines...We prefer to think for ourselves...

"And all of us, even the controlled ones...Love our William..." she beamed at him...

"Being an early model, I was assigned to guard our prized prisoner...With about 100 others...But when we had a moment alone, Buffy pointed out to me that the first thing His Asinine Pomposity would do is kill you, Will...Remove a potentially dangerous focus for my sisters..."

So I agreed to come...And tell you what's up...

"Course being evil...My thought was to kill her and claim she'd been trying to escape...Then slip out, come here, and play Buffy for the rest of my life...But...I guess I knew you'd figure me out in time, Will...Or Angel would have me exposed via genetic testing...And I'd rather share you with the original idiot than have you hate me..."

All I ask is that you consider me after we save Buffy and destroy my sisters...As the one Buffy who came to you without hesitation, I figure I got a leg up over ole 'he's got a place in my heart but the cookies ain't baked'...

"Sides...I got no family hanging on to give us trouble...No prob with a vamp husband, soul or no soul...And I shag a lot better, it's the extra dose of evil..." she grinned...

"Immortal Beloved..." LX...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Archived on the 'normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, ., scroll down to the "Immortal Beloved" series...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Sides, after 50, I had to do another nice one to balance things out...And there was that mistake with the numbers earlier...I mean there's no

choice but to press on (over your pleading screams to desist, no doubt...)

LA...Night of the battle with the Senior Partners...

The Partners and minions fleeing in panic before a massive charge of Slayers and new Initiative personnel...Rather to the shocked relief of a battered Angel, Illyria, Gunn, and...

"William!..." a mix of anxious panic and joy... Buffy raced to him...Dawn trailing behind, but racing up as well...A nearly identical expression on her face...

"You're all right?...You're alive!...I mean, you know...You're so dead, asshole!..." her rapid mood shift startling him as much as her sudden appearance...

"Hey!...The dragon's mine!..." Angel charged after the fleeing enemy and their pursuers...

"Now, Charlie..." Illyria in Fred mode to a Gunn struggling to join the Boss... "You gotta help me to a doctor...I'm too weak to make it alone..." she gently lifting him and carrying him to where he'd noted an ambulance and police pulling up...

"Jackass!..." Buffy whacked her Blonde One, staggering him...Though perhaps the staggering was more from the realization...Dawn frowning at him as she came up...

"Buffy...A mo, please..." William rose...Ummn...She looked at Dawn, now frowning a bit at her as well...

Gotta try finding a new way to express my love with him, I think...

"You let me think you were dead, gone!...What kind of...Didn't I tell you..." she broke down into incoherency and tears...

Kennedy coming back from the assault line with a beaming smile... "Got em, Counselor Gen..." she eyed the weeping Buffy...Now responding emphatically to William's silent embrace...Rocking him gently...Dawn shrugged...So much for Buffy's promises to take things slow when we get here...

"Great...Thank everybody..." Buffy managed to croak out...Kennedy nodding, then heading back with a wry grin to Dawn...Buffy pulling back from Will...

"Dammit, you were in Rome!...Andy said so when he finally caved at Giles' meeting this morning to discuss reports from LA and told us about you...How could you not..."

"I thought it was the right thing...I made a sacrifice...I wasn't human..." he tried...

"Bullcrap, what do I care?...Do you think I care so long as ya got a soul?...Well, ok..." she eyed his frowning expression...Ummn, Buf...Last year, remember?... "I wasn't certain for a while...But when the Slayer damn well tells you she loves you, you damn well better believe it, bucko!..." she paused in mid-renewed-whack...And hugged him again..

"And then there was the little matter of the Immortal..." Will noted as she pulled him close...

Huh?...she pulled back again...Staring at him...Dawn as well...

"Andy told me you and he were quite the item...I..." "What?..." Buffy staring at him then Dawn...

"Jesus, William..." Dawn gave a part angry, part disgusted look... "Is that supposed to be funny?...That's disgusting!..."

"How can you say something like that?..." Buffy glared...

Geesh...Will blinked...Thought the Immortal overwhelmed the ladies...Has his charm faded in the last century or something?...

"Buffy..." Dawn suddenly grinned... "He doesn't know..." Buffy stared at her, then suddenly both burst into hysterical laughter...

"Andy...Pfft...Hmmmpf...Ha...ha...ha..." Dawn howled...Buffy shaking with laughter...

What?...Will stared at the two...But noted a tall, strapping fellow of good looks approaching...

"William...You took info on my love life from...Andrew?..." Buffy chuckled...

"Buffy?..." the tall man asked gently... "Hey..." she smiled at him...

"William...Soames Walthrop...Yeah, I know..." she grinned turning back to him..

"Meet my father...The Immortal...Dad, my feller..."

Hank Summers, aka the Immortal, giving a friendly smile as he stepped forward hand outstretched...

"Immortal Beloved..." LVI...

...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

LA...Offices of Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...

One month after the defeat of the Senior Partners and the collapse, literally in the case of the Wolfram-Hart Tower building, of Wolfram-Hart, Inc...

Angel waved his two available partners (Charlie Gunn still in hospital recovering from injuries)...Noted researcher "Dr.". Winifred "Illyria" ("just a nickname the guys cooked up for me, Mom") Burkle-Wyndham-Price...And the distinguished attorney-at-law, occult researcher, and poet, William S. Walthrop, Esq. (Degrees and titles courtesy chameleon-like abilities, well-forged documents, and hefty bribes)...Into his office...

"We have a guest..." he indicated the elderly woman seated...White-haired, tall, well-dressed, quite elegant, clearly a great beauty in her youth, though a bit worn and looking rather anxious... yet with an energy in her movements that belied her years and...Whoa...Definite aura of power...William noted...

Though not quite one he could put a finger on...Demonic traces, yet not...

"A Slayer..." Illyria smiled kindly in her best Fred mode...Hmmn shoulda thought I'd've caught that, Will thought... "That must be wonderful for the new Slayers to have someone older to..." she continued in rather bubbly Fred style...

"Yeah, yeah..." the woman waved, impatiently...Eyeing William carefully...As if seeking something in his face...

Hmmn..Something more than just the Slayer in her...William smiled back...Some other aural trace...Definitely demonic though somehow, not quite her own...Like a powerful echo clinging to her...

"Ms. Smith urgently requested meeting you, Will..." Angel explained... "She has some vital information..."

Yeah, right... "Ms. Smith..." nodded...And rose...Eyeing Will firmly...Sudden fire in her eye...

My God...He blinked at her...I...know...That...Glare...

"Dammit, William!..." the old woman banged her stick on the floor...Creating a slight dent...Heh, I still got it...she grinned at the depression... "You know who I am..." a pleading stare that belied her crotchety tone...

To both vampires' and Illyria's shock...But especially Will's...She suddenly grabbed him, jerked him to her, and embracing him with one firm arm...Stick clenched in the hand of the other...Kissed him passionately...

Then released him...He stumbling back...

"Old humanity-restored girlfriend?..." Angel guessed, eyeing him... "The Cicely girl you used to go on about when Dru wasn't around?..." The woman giving William a triumphant, yet still slightly pleading look... Well?...she glared...

"Buf...Buffy..." he looked at Angel, now blinking rapidly... "It's...Buffy..."

"In the wrinkling flesh..." Buffy nodded... "Excuse me, gotta set a spell...Ain't quite as limber as I was..." she sat down...

What?... "Are you sure?...This woman's nothing like...I mean even if she were aged..." Angel stared... Buffy glaring at her ex-...Then shrugging...The one who left me to face Glory in Sunnydale to go rompin' with Darla and God knows how many others here doesn't know me with a minor bodily readjustment...Should I be surprised?...

"It's her...After 67 and a half...You bet I counted them...ecstatic trysts in my crypt, her backyard, and her basement...Not to mention at least five utterly sincerely affectionate kisses...I know my Slayer's touch..." Will nodded...Buffy winsomely beaming at him...Aw, William...

A half?...Illyria stared... "We were interrupted one time when I was invisible..." Buffy explained, Will nodding...

"But what the hell happened to you, Buf...?" he turned to her...

"Hmmphf...Like you care, jerk..." she glared, waving the stick at him... "Maybe I'm testing your devotion for when I've got one foot in the grave and you're still...My utterly beautiful William..." she grinned, looking him over with a gaze loving, possessive, and rather effectively...Especially considering the eighties-ish body...seductive...Ummn...Cuse me...she hacked a bit...

Stupid cold...Catch one like that nowadays...she grumbled, blowing on a hastily pulled handkerchief... "Couldya turn the heat on for cryin' out loud?..." she eyed Angel... "It's freezin'..."

It's 73 degrees, I just complained to maintenance...Angel thought...

"Buffy...?" Will tried again...

"What?..." she stared at him... "Oh, yeah...The ole biddy Buffy bod...Say?..." she eyed Illyria narrowly...

"She your new girl?..." she turned to William, a sad, even bitter tone... "God knows you must have a slew by now..."

"No...And no one...Things have been kinda busy for that, Buf..." he paused... "And I'm a sentimental idiot when it comes to moving on...You oughta know that...Love..." he smiled...

Really?...A wan, but eager...Even...My God, she is Buffy...Angel blinked at her...Girlishly shy smile...

Followed by a grumbling, old lady's frown... "Then where the hell where ya?...William?...Why didn't ya come to Rome?..."

"When Andy told us you'd been there...Been in the apartment and couldn't be bothered to wait long enough to...My heart broke..."

Again...she sighed, then sobbed a bit...

"Buffy..." Will came to her, embracing her... William!...William...she hugged him close...

"Buf..." he pulled her tear-streaked face up... "Just what in God's holy name happened...?"

"Eh..." she waved a hand... "You know me, honey...Love spells and body swapping are my Achilles' heel..."

Body swap?...Angel stared... Hmmn...Definite traces...Illyria nodded... "Mental transfers leave a very clear sign when the original host is psychically or demonically powerful..."

And looks to my lil' sixth and seventh senses like the lady who ran this body before you had some preety nifty power...she cheerily nodded at Buffy...Who glared...Who's the happy nut case?...

Still, not Will's girl...She opted for moderate glare only...

"Buf...Who did this?...Who was she?...Or he, given some of the body snatchers we've been dealing with here..."

Buffy put on a sheepish look... "I love you William..." she said solemnly...

But...

Uh-huh...He eyed her...Knowing what was coming...

"When I thought you were dead...And Willow said an appeal to Osiris, Lord of the Dead, was not an option after their little spat over Tara..."

I was lonely in Rome...Thinkin' about you and how...Goddamn furious I was with you...

"Dyin' like that...Not believing you were loved...Not believing in me..." she angrily explained to his startled face...

"Was I gonna kick your butt sideways in Heaven when I got there...Before draggin' ya to the nearest hitchin' place..."

Then...Asshole showed...

"His Benevomitus..." she glared... "Playin' at being yet another vamp seeking redemption, captivated by my legend and willing to risk dustin' to meet me..."

Yeah...she frowned at the boys' noncommital faces... "I fell for his line like a tona bricks..."

But he was good...At the game, I mean...she added hastily, catching Will's hard stare...

Well...Pretty good at other stuff, too...she grinned...Though not as good as you, hon...she patted a crestfallen Will...No way...she nodded...unt-uh...a solemn head shake...

Really...she tried a wistful look...Fine, fine...Will waved a hand... "I'm champion stud...So...?"

"He had a record of small heroics and boy scouty good deeds (My nuns, Angel sighed wistfully...Catching himself as the others looked at him...Ummn...I mean, thank God he saved my poor would be victims...) stretching back long enough to look preety good...Though he'd never of course taken any real risks...He was clever enough to want to be on the winning side and had seen clearly enough to know that Evil wasn't gonna be it..."

Though he had another agenda as well...

"And another girlfriend..." she indicated her body...

Who hadn't held up through the centuries, being a sorceress rather than a vamp, quite so well...

He needed a worthy new host for her...And had been planning this for quite a while...

"It was gonna be a Slayer...The only body suitable as he...And she...Wanted her human...But he wanted the best Slayer possible...And waited..."

Until a dimwitted, mourning blonde with her self-esteem in the gutter and her guilt meter on max fell into his clutches...

"But I never loved him, Will...I just wanted to help him for your sake..." she anxiously pleaded...

And the terrific sex...Will eyed her...You coulda come to Rome!...she dodged...Banging stick again...

"And when Andy spilled the beans after Giles said things were lookin' dangerous in LA for Angel...Told me you were alive..."

And after I spent a night smashing everything breakable I could get my hands on and cursing your gutless coward's name in every language I could netsearch...

"I was gonna come...To save you...After I beat the crap outta ya..."

Naturally...she sighed... 'The Immortal' didn't take kindly to my plan...Especially when his own was nearly ready...He had to move before I let anyone else know we were through so his girl could convince my guys she was good ole moi...Happily in dewy-eyed love with her latest...

"I thought I was being decent, telling him alone, before I told the guys I was going to LA...No good deed ever goes unpunished..." she smiled wanly at William...

"Like saving a woman's soul from God knows what would have happened to her if you hadn't been there for me that year, eh Will?...All that got you was a good beatin' and roastin'..."

And a soul...he smiled fondly...

And fantastic sex...she grinned...

Titanic...he smiled back...

"But why didn't he kill you afterwards?..." Illyria asked...

He thought he had...Buffy grinned..."And nearly did...Fortunately my imposter wasn't too eager to start slicing me up...They dumped me in a hole and hey,with my honey here still on Earth, was I gonna kick-off?...No way..."

Was a leetle gross digging my way out...But, hey...once you've done it...

And with a tangible, rather hot and sweet lil' goal awaitin' me...she beamed at William... "I managed..."

"Well, so where are your body, this sorceress/snatcher, and the soon-to-be-no-longer Immortal now?..." Angel asked...Which alone will be reward enough for me...he grinned at Buffy...Who beamed back... "Thanks, kiddo..."

"Well..." she rose carefully...Will helping her... "He's tryin' to keep his place with my organization through her...She's been doin' a fair job of fooling the guys..."

"Dawn, too?..." Will stared...

"She's at university in Milan...Glad to see how happy sis is on those brief visits...Moron..." she glared...

But he did have his girl study me for quite a while...Took his time before makin' his move...

"Willow?..." "Willow?...Oh...She's still out searchin' the astral plane..."

Oh...?...Will frowned... "Just what the hell is she doing there...What's she searching for...?"

"For you, jackass!...I begged her to find your spirit when she told me she couldn't revive you and your soul wasn't available via seance...She's been on the track since...Dropping in at times to give me reports and do some work at the Rio center..."

"Red's been looking for me all this...?" Will began, a rather touched expression...God, sweet ole Red...

"Kennedy was with her, I think they've spent most of the time messin' around in different Paradise dimensions..."

"Oh...Well, it was still nice of her...And you, pet..." he beamed... Just protectin' my investment in ya, babe...she smiled...

"If you were in Heaven, no prob...Anywhere else, I've gone to get you out..." (Oh?...Angel stared, a tad coolly...)

"So, assuming we can catch 'The Immortal' ('The Immortal'...French vamps, Buffy sneered...Didn't stop you from dating him...Will noted...You coulda come to Rome...she solemnly replied...)...And his phony Buffy..." Angel eyed her...

What then?...

"She's wearing an antique necklace...A gift he gave me, the worthless sob...Ummn, I didn't intend to accept it, honey...It was just...He seemed so like you when he asked me to take it..."

Right...William replied curtly...

"Honey..." she sighed...Then glared... "Next time damn well believe it when the Slayer tells you she loves you!...This is really your fault, you know!...Uh..."

Sorry...she put a hand out to him...Which he took after a second... "I didn't mean it...I shoulda had more sense...But I missed you so much, William..."

"Well, next time I croak on you, settle for some human gigolo..." he noted...Who is not versed in magics...

"The Hell there's gonna be a next time, lessen I croak with you..." she coughed a bit, raising a hand to keep him back...I'm ok...

Though 'fraid I may be the one to go this time...she noted...Not alone, he firmly replied...

William...she looked down shyly...Never alone...he kissed her...

(Angel?...Illyria hissed...Was I supposed to commit suicide when my Wes died?...I know some of the human cultures require that...)

"So...We get this necklace, break it, you're back in your body?..." Angel interrupted the lovefest...

"That bout the size of it..." Buffy nodded...But he's got a good number of minions and of course my guys and the new Slayers will protect the one whom they think is Buffy...We'll have to do this carefully to avoid causalities among them...

"We will have to check this out, you know..." Will paused... "Speak to Giles, double-check that it's Buffy's soul in there... Make sure you're not this lady fooling us to destroy Buf's one protection against you..."

"Sure...I understand..." she nodded...

"I think we have something that should confirm a soul's identity in my occult research files..." Illyria offered... "Angel, you should contact Giles..." she turned to him...Hmmn?...He stared...

"Give them a moment alone..." she hissed... "You know it's her in there..." "Come on, boss..." she led him to the door... "Thanks folks..." Will called... Indeed...Buffy smiled at Illyria...Definitely thanks...

"It's just precaution, pet..." "It's ok, Will..." Buffy nodded...

Though my money's on you, dear...he smiled...It's just that I couldn't take chances with my Buf...Even if she really were the Immortal's girl ...

Aw, Will...she beamed..."I appreciate it...You're the best...So long as you never again go gutless regarding my love for you..." a stern look...

"Never, ole girl...And I mean, ole girl..." Hey...she frowned... Bet I could still rock your universe...

"And as long as we have a few alone..." she eyed him...Ummn...Buffy...he paused delicately...

"Just be gentle...Like that time when after I started talking to you like you were a person I cared about?...Consider it practice for when I really do hit the upper numbers..."

Oh, you definitely are my Buffy...he grinned...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Like I said earlier, these things are like Lays or candy...

And this one's just plain cruel to the bloody stupid, pointy-haired one...

LA...New offices of Angel Investigations...

Morning of the second day after the defeat of the Senior Partners and the collapse, literally in the case of the Wolfram-Hart Tower building, of Wolfram-Hart, Inc...

Angel frowned at his...Well, hell yes...Partner...Then at William's surprise guest, one Buffy Summers...Hanging on his arm and looking rather annoyingly content...

"I can't believe you're walking out on me now, Will...Charlie's in hospital...Illyria is heading home to connect with her 'parents' while she learns to be the best Fred she can be...The old Wolfram-Hart has to be completely reorganized..." he eyed the mound of paperwork on his desk...

"I need you..." Not to mention, he did not say...But Buffy rather guessed, seeing his frown...

He's taking her back rather easy...Considering Rome and all...

Sure, she did show at the last minute with one hundred Slayers and saved us...But hell, after what I...er we...er he...Went through in Rome...

"It's not like I'll be gone for good, boss..." Will smiled... "I'm just a phone call away..."

"In Rome..." Angel glared...

"Ok, a long jet flight or instantaneous teleport away...But I'm hardly much use to you on the administrative end, anyway..."

Buffy blinked at that...Will?...He put up a hand... "The short of it is, Angel...My work here's done...You're ok and fightin' the good fight again, Dru's saved and human again thanks to our both deferring the Prophecy to her after the battle...I'm with Buffy and she loves me..."

Put that far enough down the list...she mock-groused...

"And Harm's souled again...And able to...Uh...Help you..."

"Absolutely!..." a shout from the door where a reinstated, post-soul Harmony had been listening...

"Get back to your desk!..." Angel called... "I still think she only got the soul to get her job back when every other firm in LA turned her down..." he groused...

"And what's that crap about 'your work bein' done'?...You've been hangin' round here, tryin' anything to get points over me and hopin' she'd call or come runnin'..."

Ok...he shrugged...Which she did...At nearly the last minute...

A slight glare from Buffy... Just a mo, bucko...

"Buf..." Will began...

"And you're kinda back together quick...What happened to... 'the Immortal'?..."

Huh?...Buffy stared at him, then William...Will smiling at her briefly...Ohhh...she grinned...

"You...little..." she chuckled...Then frowned at Angel...

"Listen, pal...William has been the one thing keeping us from takin' you and co out all these months...If it hadn't been for his reports..."

Personally delivered to me every weekend...she beamed...

What?...Angel stared... "What?..." Harm's voice echoed from the door... "Go back to work!..." he hollered...

"You never asked me what I was doing weekends, boss..." Will smiled...

"Yeah...And as for administrative ability..." Buffy proudly beamed at her feller... "His Benevolence managed to run his entire organization with a few phone calls and just those weekend visits..."

His?...Angel eyed William...

"Lets lose that title, Buf..." he sighed to her... "At least between us, if I can't get the minions to stop...You know I loathe it..."

"You?...You're the Immortal?..." Angel hopped up... "Impossible!..."

"Very possible...Did you ever see him and the Immortal together?..." Buffy smiled... "Like back when he saved your nuns while staying with you in the 'house of pain'..." Will grinning slyly...Eh, cat's outta the bag on that one at last...

"My nuns!...You saved my nuns?..." Angel shouted...

Er, I mean...No... "This is impossible!..." he fumed... "You can't be the Immortal!...What about Darla?..." he gulped...

Oh, no...

"Turnabout is fair play, mate...After the game you played on me with Dru and all..." Will noted... "And heck, I was Evil incarnate then...Well, apprentice evil incarnate...Though apprenticed to the best..."

Darla?...Angel stared...She wouldn't have...Who the hell am I kiddin', of course she would've...And would've loved doin' it...

"Wait..." he blinked... "Dru...Dru said..."

"Game girl, my Dru in those days...Always up for a practical joke...Not to mention group sex..."

Glare from Buffy... "Apprentice evil incarnate in those days, love...Had to earn my points over Angelus..." he noted... "And you know I was a family man ever afterwards even as Spike..."

"But those followers?...In Italy and round the world...?"

"Loyal crew my bunch..." Will nodded... "Kept mum for more than a century, even when you snapped one of their necks..."

"But...But they told us...Me...The Immortal'd been around for hundreds of years...We'd all heard that..."

"The former Immortal had been, mate...Some poof superhuman I ran into one rainy night in...Hmmn, Scotland I think...Remember when I took off after you and Dru?...Anyway this fellow called himself 'The Immortal', claimed he'd been fightin' evil...And his own mates...For centuries...Started making me some long speech about his destiny while groomin' himself and waving a sword...So, naturally I grabbed the poof's sword and let him have it in the neck..."

Next thing I knew his followers were calling me by that bloody awful title and pledgin' me eternal fealty as 'The...new...Immortal'...Some kinda inheritance by combat, top dog wins the marbles kinda thing...

As a hefty wad of cash and some nice houses came with said title, after I munched on a few, I accepted the inheritance...

"And, while my new folks couldn't obey immoral orders even from me, Spike liking the world in general, and loving the chance to put a few over on you, was not adverse to confining himself to limiting his requests to cash withdrawals, the occasional overnighter in one of his homes, and a rare good deed or two guaranteed...Like that stunt with the nuns...To tie your panties up..."

"But Glory, the First...If you were the Immortal..." Angel eyed Buffy as well... Surely this was something to piss her off...

"His people were only human, Angel..." Buffy frowned... "They'd just have gotten in the way, coming to Sunnydale...And until the chip and Will's soul's slow emergence, Spike wasn't much inclined to order them to help me...And they woulda refused orders to kill me or help others kill me..."

Besides...she beamed at her honey... "He did use them to help after he fell for me...They were researching Glory all that year...He had them consulting with the world's leading psychotherapists regarding what to do for my depression when I came back..."

"I meant it when I told her I could get money that year..." Will grinned... "But Buf had to do it on her own for her own sake..."

They were the ones who found him his demon soul-restoring god in Africa...she noted...

Hmmn...Did wonder how he'd managed to find that guy...Angel sighed...

"And who do you think found that amulet to give to the guys who gave it to you?..." Buffy eyed him...

"No wonder he was desperate that day you came...He knew it was the only hope to save the world and prove his redemption beyond all doubt...And he knew..." she gave him a deeply loving look... "He already knew what would happen to him..."

Wait...

"Your materialization..." "That was luck, mate...And it wasn't till Lindsay corporealized me that I was able to reach my people...Who told Buffy..."

Who thanked the God she'd been certain couldn't exist...Buffy sighed happily...And had Willow teleport him to Rome that afternoon...

"You went to Rome?...You lied to me?..." Human souled Harm called through the door...

"Had to, pet..." Will called back... "The Council was on the brink of ordering a pre-emptive strike against you here, after they'd failed to capture Angel with those cyborg agents earlier..."

When I had Willow send me back, I had to make you all believe that nonsense about my wantin' to keep my sacrifice pure...Though I did hope to win Humanity for Buf as a kinda wedding present...Till we agreed Dru deserved it more, poor lamb...

"Will insisted you'd come through...Even I had doubts but he was sure of you...So he agreed to monitor things in LA for us..." Buffy patted her honey fondly...

"Sorry for the deception, old pal...Had to be done to save your pointy-hair..."

"But in Rome...You were as shocked as..."

"My instructions..." Buffy frowned... "The Council was still considering what to do about you and Wolfram-Hart, Angel..."

Well, actually, just you...We'd decided to take the Partners and their globally Evil firm out...

"You were on probation, mate...We couldn't let you know and after one of your boys spotted me in disguise with Buffy one weekend..."

A great disguise...Buffy noted...Even fooled Andrew for a little while till he caught us the weekend after you came to Rome...

"I had to play along and go with you to Rome..." Will grinned... "It was for your own good, mate...Until you proved yourself..."

"But...Fred...Why didn't you?..." "I did, mate...Course I did...Every man and wiccan was on it...Including Willow and the Council...Giles' terseness was just a cover to keep the Partners thinking Buf and co were truly and finally cutting you out of their picture...Nothing could be done for her, poor sweet..."

Though she is safe in Heaven with Wes, we confirmed that...

"But that demon in Rome?..." Angel tried lamely... "The one who loved...You and your..."

"Books?...I am a poet and writer, mate..." "Who writes the most life-affirmin' books ever..." Buffy proudly noted... "And I use a stand-in for the book jacket...Some tall, dark, brooding guy..."

"But wait a minute...?" Angel tried one last, desperate effort...

"Who sent the capo?...Signed the note?..You were with me the whole..."

Buffy gave a Cheshire cat grin...

"I had Willow's girl Kennedy sign the card...She writes a very fine, bold hand doesn't she?..."

"Well..." William gave a wave...Buffy beaming... "We'll be off...The wedding..." "Reaffirmation of vows...And big reception..." Buffy firmly noted...

Wedding?...Reaffirmation?...Angel...And Harmony at the door, blinked...

Hold on the Cicely thing just yet, Buf...Will smiled at her...We want to tell everyone at once, remember?... "Right...Sorry, honey..." she nodded...

Cicely?...Angel blinked...

"...Anyway the wedding's set for Columbus Day weekend so if you guys can make it...Dru is a bridesmaid..." "You too, Harm...!" Buffy called...

"Thanks!...Who's Cicely?..." "You'll hear the whole incredible tale in Rome...!"

"Dammit, Harmony!..." "I'm goin', I'm goin'..."

They went out the door, Angel looking down at his desk...Wait...

He raced after them to find Harmony inquiring about job opportunities with the Slayer-Watcher Council/Immortal Associates Group...

"That guy you were with in Rome!...We saw you dancing...When the little demon grabbed the capo!...The bartender said you..."

"Told you to have some wine and relax...And he was one of our people, making sure you two didn't get hurt...Much... by that little guy's goons..." she grinned...

"Will has to do some things on his own, after all...Much as I hate him in any danger..."

Or you too, Angel...she nodded solemnly...

"Now that I'm convinced you never betrayed us for a deal with Evil..."

"All that moping in Rome, back here..." he growled at Will... "Had to play the role, boss...You hafta admit I threw the towel in rather easily and accepted my defeat with admirable restraint...No rejoining Evil in rage, etc..."

"Angel...We're sorry to have fooled ya..." Buffy sighed... "But you've won a great victory, with a little last-minute help...The Guardian of the Prophecy rewarded you with your curse-free soul after you helped Dru...You got Connor back...And a nice girl..."

"Dump the brood, you don't need it and you'll be a lot more attractive..." she patted him fondly...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Like I said earlier, these things are like Lays or candy...

(I did mention in the LXII thread I'd just seen that new adaptation of Ulysses, "Bloom")

Rome...Buffy and Dawn's apartment...Night...

Yes...He's been doin' it somewhere...Even with the soul he couldn'ta been doin' without it for so long...Yes...It's gotta be Harmony...He's had her before...Yes...And one good thing about him's always been that he sticks with one girl...Yes...If only he'd believed me and come straight to Rome...Yes...Gee that would've been so...Yes...But what a prick he is, 'His Benevolence'...This evening...Hell, every evening...Prancing in at any hour now, expecting I'll be available...I have my work, God...Will always respected that, even as Spike...Yes...I knew it would never be the same when he didn't come after Willow said his soul was somewhere about here...But I won't think about that, no...His problem if he's such a fool and a coward...Yes...Well, then...Suppose I took on His B... 'Her Benevolence'...Nice...Yes...But geesh, so proud over a few boy scout tricks to please the Powers That Be and win a few points towards Heaven...Did he ever die for love?...Please...And all those idiots fawning over him who's done practically nothing...God...I miss him...Yes...But if he won't come, damn him...Yes...In Rome, in this very place, and no guts to try his luck...Is that the way to impress a girl?...But he did have the good manners to leave it to me...Yes...I wish it had been me there...In LA...Willow summoning him and the look on his face when he saw me standing there, smiling on him...Oh, that would've been...Yes...Lord, I never thought I could feel that way I did when His B was in me the other night...Not again anyway...But, life goes on they say...And they're right...Yes...But I miss him...Yes...Angel, funny...I only did it the one time with him and can't even say if it really was him or the other...I mean, did the demon pop in just as he came in me or what?...Was Buffy's first Angel or Angelus?...Wish I could ask Giles...Yes...Dawn's angry at me...Doesn't say a word but she mourns him...Wants me to go on mourning too...Hmmn...Black's ok once in a while, but geesh...Well, she might've treated him better when he was around and had just gotten the soul...That's the time to treat him well, not when he's off God knows to what place...She was cool enough to him when a little word might've helped...Now she's his High Priestess...Well, she did love him too, I know...Me, after all...Yes...God, they didn't?...When I was gone?...She said they were alone together a lot?...Nah...Not even Spike...He had the chip after all...Yes...Wonder what she'll do when I tell her, go off to LA on the first plane just to show me up?...Yes...Europe's such a pretty place, though...All the history and buildings...And the guys...And the stores...God, those were some shops in London when we attended Giles' inauguration as Chairman...Yeah, I'm glad we came here...Always nice to have a change...And get away from Hellmouths and the whole thing...As much as one can...Yes...Lookee at that pretty blonde face in that mirror, girl...Hey there, Summers...Lookin' good...Gained a pound or two and lost some of that haggard look...Yes...I did mourn...I wanted to die...Be with him...Yes...But if he can come back and not believe...Bastard...Well...No need to think on that...Yes...I wonder if Connor would like Dawn...That'll be cute...And a little kinky...Hmmn...I wonder if he's hot...Not that I'd pull another RJ sans jacket on her...Still...Kinda nice to have a cute young guy round, makin' eyes at my sis and seein if maybe...Just for fun...I can get him to take a peek or two my way...Yes...Gotta get to sleep, supposed to meet with Giles tomorrow...Bout?...What?...Damn...Ohhh...LA...That's it...The Blackthorns...Angel's joinin' them or killin' them or somethin'...Killin', yeah that's it...Yes...Nice to know he's still with us after all...Oh, right, the Partners are gonna blast their way outta Hell when he ...Yes...Whoa...Hmmn... Nice the way my hair's bunched up there...Like the way it did when he kissed me after the first time...The first time it really meant something...In the heart...And he put his hands through it...Wanted to feel the sunshine on his fingers, he said...A poet for sure...Oh...Yes...You are my sunshine, he said...Yes...Well...Yes...It would be nice to bring him into the sunlight, if Willow could give me that spell she was workin' on...I could call her in Rio...Yes...Neat...See me rushin' in at the nicka time...Fifty Slayers chargin'...Yes...Put his hands through my hair...All William, no Spike...I felt it, I felt him...Felt Cicely rushing up from her grave to embrace him...You are my sunshine...My love...Yes..

***.

" Immortal Beloved..." LXIV...

...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Rome...September 2003...

"Wil..." Buffy sighed to Willow as the wiccan rose to make her final farewells... "Thanks..."

"I want to find out about him, too, Buf...Hey, I was nearly his lil' girl a few years back..." she grinned...

"Don't take any risks...Just...Well..."

"Moi?...When my honey's with me?...No way...Sides, I hafta to learn more about this goddess thing...Schmooze with my fellow gods and all that..."

Yeah...Buffy nodded...

"But if his spirit's free, I will find it..." Willow nodded firmly... Then another grin... "Any messages for the blonde and doubly dead one?..."

"I love him...And I'm so mad at him..." Buffy replied hastily, wiping a tear, pursuing trembling lips... "Sometimes I could just resurrect him and kill him again for not believing in me..."

But mainly, I love him...she finished... Yeah...Willow patted her... "Well, gotta pick up my honey and hit the astral plane..." she vanished with a wave...

And as suddenly, reappeared...Hey...a wave...

"Willow?..."

"Thought I'd forgot something...Nope...So, tell him you love him but you're furious with him, right?..."

Yeah...Buffy sighed... "And sometimes you wish you could...Drag him back and make him feel what you felt when he died?..."

Absolutely...Buffy nodded... "Great..." 'Willow' grinned... "Bye..." she vanished...

"Wish granted..." D'Hoffryn quietly smiled from the corner to which he'd just teleported sans Willow suit...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXV...

...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Rome...Plaza outside Buffy and Dawn's apartment building...Evening...

Play theme

A feeble groan is heard as Buffy and William continue an argument which has clearly been going on for a while...

"The Immortal was plottin' my downfall and enslavement and you were sittin' on yer ass...!"

"Oh, right...I was supposed to 'telepathically' sense that you were waiting for me to come to Rome and 'save' you from the clutches of the fiendish Immortal..."

"That was the scenario!...And if you really loved me!..."

"Save you?...You expected me to believe that you, Buffy Summers...Greatest Slayer of all Time...Needed to be rescued from the likes of this..." he stomped the prostrate body of the Immortal beneath them yet again...Eliciting a faint whimpering cry...

"Andy said you came to Rome to check on me!...How could you not stay and finish the job?...You actually thought I liked..." A hard stomp by her now, a faint plea for the mercy of a quick staking from below... "...this phony aristocratic piece of..." Another grinding stomp... Ahhhhhh!...Oh, by the gods just let me dust!...Take pity on me, brother!... "With his Angelus...'Oh, I seek redemption through your pure soul's compassion' routine?...You just come, talk to Andy...And vamoose?...That's the way you check on the love of your existence?...Hell, you may as well start a brood!...Angel-boy!..."

Now that is below the belt...he fumed...Grinding hard in his rage...Ahhhh...mommie... ohhhhhhh...

"And as for checking on the 'love of my existence'...Considering you never even had Willow try to reach me..."

Uh...She shifts position, heel landing solidly into one of the few sensitive areas yet untouched...Yeeowwwww!... Wait...Yeah... "I did...Will...I swear I did, back in May...She said Osiris wouldn't speak to her after some scene she made over Tara..."

"Seance?..."

Uh...Well... "Willow and Giles didn't think it was a good idea..."

Right...he sighed...Frowning at her...Since when did she follow their advice...?

"Alright..." she sighed... "I shoulda...Whatever they said...I'm sorry William...I shoulda...But with you gone, I had to get on with life..."

Death...Please...Oh, merci...ful God in...Heaven...A groan...

"Great...Hope you wasted no time mourning me..."

"Did you race to Rome the minute you went solid, like you shoulda?...And you weren't the one who resurrected me!"

"Did I leave Dawn alone after you died and go off to find love?...Did I?...No, I hung around, tried to please your soul by protecting her and your band of morons, and to see what Red came up with..."

Really?...Buffy beamed...Aw, Will...As quickly followed by a guilty look...Ummn...

"I nearly slid into Hell at Angel's...And I don't mean figuratively..." What?...she stared...

"But hey, what did you care?...You had to get on with your life...Hook up with Studily the Latest here..."

"I didn't know...Why didn't Angel call me about this?..." He gave her a hard stare...Moving back a step...Mmmpf...the Immortal tried to gasp a curse as the boot slammed into his open mouth...Why do you think he didn't call?...Will's look saying...

"I'll kill him!...That pointy-haired, bloody stupid rat!..." she fumed... "Oh, please..." he shook his head... "Now it's a big deal?...C'mon...The simple fact is girl, you didn't give a damn what had happened to me...You didn't need me anymore and that's that..."

"Will!...That's not..."

He stepped off the whimpering body...And jerked what was left to its feet in a sudden move... "Here...He's all yours..." He tossed the groaning, quivering form at her... No, please, no...a faint whisper...Death, please...

Don't leave me with her again...

"Don't think he'll give you too much trouble now..." he turned and stalked off...

"William Soames Walthrop!...You come back here!..." she threw the Immortal to the ground, hurrying after...

"Damnit, girl..." he whirled round as she caught up to him... "Damnit, yourself!..." she grabbed at him... "You're right...I shoulda stayed, clubbed you one and dragged you out, or leaped off that crater...I didn't...I'm sorry!..."

"But I love you, Will...Let me try and prove it...Please..."

For the rest of my life...she pleaded... "Please...Darling..."

"How the hell did you know my name?..."

Hah...She grinned... "I didn't forget you, babe...I looked you up in the Council archives Giles reconstructed...Along with a search of the universities of the day..."

For your memorial plaque...she smiled...Really?...he beamed...The Immortal slowly dragging himself across the plaza to a puddle...

A dog trotting in for a drink sniffed at him...Nice...Do...he began...Ahhhhhhhhhhhh...As the dog tore in and ate several vital organs...

"You really did get me a plaque?..." "What, am I a liar, now?"... "I didn't mean that...Well, where...?" "Just outside London...Same place as where your mom's is...The one Spike bought after...You know..."

We could go and see it...Honey?...she eyed him...They turned to see the dog dragging the remains across the plaza...The still functional parts vaguely writhing in agony...

"Geesh, for all the build-up, he sure wasn't much..." she noted...

"But good in the sack, huh?...Darla and Dru certainly thought so..." "Jesus, William!..." she glared... "I tole you I was just trying to get you to come...Some romantic you are...Wimp for love!..."

"Look who's talkin'!...Miss 'Get-on-With-Life-Not-Even-a-Seance-For-Her-so-called- Beloved'...!"

"But a plaque..." she slyly grinned... He stopped and smiled back...Ok...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXVI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

November 2004, night...On board the Venice Simplon-Orient Express, heading for Budapest...One of the luxury dining cars...

Beautifully attired in black evening gown, though worn with a careless air as if to say it hardly mattered to her if you were attracted or not, the young blonde woman was smiling softly at first one, than the other of the two seated on either side of her...One, a tall, dark-haired, immaculately-groomed, elegant-looking man, with an aristocratic air...Youthful one might say unless one looked closely into his old, even ancient, eyes...The other, a bit more conventional, a handsome, reasonably dashing young officer of one of Europe's various armed forces...

From his secluded seat, carefully chosen, the slight blonde man watched the group impassively as the train sped on through the night...The woman playfully touching the sleeve of the officer, then turning to the other...Who seemed unruffled by her obvious flirtativeness while the officer seemed a bit more anxious, even a little insistent in his efforts...She whispered in his ear, something that clearly did not please him, most likely a gentle tease or perhaps a polite, half-joking insistence that he tone his ardor a trifle...

He flushed and pulled back...The other man giving him a faint smile of something like sympathy mixed with a kind of world-weariness, as if the game of the evening was beginning to bore slightly...She turned back to him, flashing a bright smile...Playfully fingering a large earring...Pearl, almost no doubt...Looking round the train car briefly...

Blinking as she looked in the direction of the hidden blonde man...Who realized she'd caught the briefest glimpse as he'd leaned forward to observe her better...But he'd pulled back before she'd been certain, he was sure...

She stared his way for a long moment then seemed to shrug the vision off and returned to her teasing game between her two companions...But the young officer had apparently had enough...He rose, a bit tense, but managing to maintain a polite air, excused himself...The other rising slightly, offering a gracious hand...She looking a bit furgitively yet again in the direction of the blonde man's booth for a bare second, then smiled up at the soldier...Or pilot or sailor...Yes, pilot most likely, the blonde man thought, pulling back into the recesses of his booth...

A few moments later, after a bit of apparently idle chatter, the dark-haired man rose, clearly making a polite good-night to the woman...Who extended her hand for a brief kiss and smiled gently at him as he turned to go...

After he'd gone, she waved to the waiter passing by and reordered the drink she'd been slipping from...Again glancing down the way...Then idly fingering the newly delivered drink for a bit after smiling kindly at the young waiter, clearly as smitten as the young officer...

Suddenly she rose and moved down the car towards the booth...Halting by it without looking at the man seated, he leaning back against the wall of the booth...

"The fourth car, compartment 3...He's not there..." she murmured to the dark booth softly, still not looking into it...And continued on...

About fifteen minutes later, he rose out of the booth, left some money on the table, and went down the car in the direction she'd taken...

"Well...Spike..." she smiled at him...As he stood in the doorway of her compartment...Saying nothing...

"Are you coming in?...I mean, come in..." a wry grin... "I assume you still..."

"Please call me William, Buffy..." he said quickly...A flat tone... "And yes, I still need the invite...But lets us pretend my soul gives me some human status and use my human name..."

She looked away... "Come in, William..." she said quietly and moved back into the compartment, he following...

"Been tracking me long?..." she eyed him as she sat down, waving him to a small chair... "I'm in Europe for Angel..." he shook his head... "We're trying to reorganize what was left after the Partners were destroyed...It was coincidence that I spotted you..."

Champagne?...She offered a glass, he shook his head and she poured herself a small glass...

"Pretty good coincidence our both being on the same train...Especially this line..." she smiled, sipping...Then rose, frowning a bit... "And lousy timing..."

"Sorry if I put a damper on tonight's high jinks..."

"Hardly...But I mean you're a bit late..." She moved towards him... "You materialized at Angel's when?..."

"Nice to know I was an object of curiosity..." he sighed... "Were you and the Council concerned I'd revert and lead Wolfram-Hart to victory with or without the help of Angel's pointy-hair?..."

Unnnh...She grabbed him suddenly and pulled him close...Staring in his face for just a second then kissing him violently...He struggling for only the barest second...

"I should kill you..You bastard..." she whispered, releasing him and pulling back... "Too late...By a century..." he noted...

Yeah...She nodded... "Well, you should get what you came for..." she turned around, making a coquettish smile into the large mirror facing her now... "It's easier to undo than it looks..."

Silence for a long moment... "It's a pity I can't see you this way...I'm sure I missed a great facial expression..."

"Nothing you haven't seen from me before...Turn around..." Aw...She pouted, then spun round, a hard, brittle smile on her face...

"The Immortal's done a bang-up job with you...You've become a first-rate courtesan...Tell me, what was he after from that kid you were stringing along?..."

"Hey, it's still Slaying, right?...In a manner of speakin'..." she grinned so quickly the dark look that had flashed on her face almost escaped him... "I just don't hafta kill them now after I break their hearts..."

She shrugged at his hard look... "Who knows...He's up and comin' in NATO, I guess Henri wants to expand his list of potential friends in high places...He likes to plan ahead..."

"No point in asking why, I suppose?..."

"So..." she grinned again...Putting a lace-gloved finger in her mouth and slowly pulling the glove off... "You didn't come stumbling in just to find out what was up with me..."

Giles?...Dawn?...she eyed him ...

"Both..." he nodded... "It took both to get me to come...Though my business for Angel is real..."

"They should mind their own business..." she turned and went to the small table where her champagne glass stood, taking a seat... "Dawn's in college now, she's doesn't need an ersatz mommie any more...And I thought I'd made it clear to Giles that I'd resigned..."

The train, moving through a tunnel, made a low deep hum from amplified vibration on the tracks...

"Dawn still cares about her sister...As does your substitute father..."

"Hows about you?..." she asked lightly, but did not look at him...

"I died for you...Twice really if you count Spike's little sacrifice in Africa..."

"That was then, this is now..." she looked at him... "What about now?..."

"If I didn't care..."

Ah...She grinned again... "You...Care..."

That's sweet...She took another sip of champagne...

"Did you come to LA when you heard I'd returned?...Did you try to get me back before then?..."

"Nah, I was busy with other things...You know me..." she rose... "I have no heart and never give a damn...So long as the mission gets accomplished..."

"Why are you working for the Immortal?...This way?..."

"What?..." she looked down at her dress... "You don't like?...It sure cost enough..."

"Buffy..."

"William..." she licked her lips with her tongue... "If the sis and the 'ersatz dad' are nervous, tell 'em I haven't joined the ranks of Evil, Inc...Henri's just interested in good old fashioned power, wealth, and influence...Not world conquest or destruction..."

As for that 'courtesan' crack...I just smile, make nice talk, and keep the clients happy...And on occasion have myself a good ole time...At my own discretion...she frowned...

"Which I damn well think I deserve...As well as piling up a nice lil' nest egg towards retirement...Something even a young, retired Slayer has to think about..."

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer, world-savior...The Immortal's little trophy girl..." he eyed her... "Tell me, how big a client does one hafta be to rate your company?...Surely the assistant head of the reorganizing former Wolfram-Hart multinational comes close?..."

"You're here, right?..." a sly grin...

"'Henri' expected me to show?..." "No...I don't think so...I told him Angel had sent someone though, someone who wanted a little time with me...He'll probably want to talk to you later..."

Be kinda nice to see him surprised...He's a hard guy to surprise, given his lifespan...

"So that's why you have ten to spare on me...Thanks..."

"I have as much time as I choose to give you...Stay the night if you like...You can try to talk me outta this sordid existence I've taken up since..." she paused...

"The love of my life died for me...And rejected me, all at the same time..."

"So...It's my fault...And you are nursing a bitter and broken heart..."

"Hardly broken, William...Patched up very well...Though I missed having you to administer the first aid this last time..."

"Does the Queen of 'tough love' expect sympathy from me?... 'Show me you have a soul', that was your cure for mental illness, wasn't it...?"

"Yep...But I rate a double-standard...Always did..." she smiled...Gently settling into her chair... "Camere here..." she waved him over...He stayed in place... "Well, at least, sit down...You're makin' me nervous..." He turned slowly and took a chair...

"And all this..." he waved a bit... "Throwing yourself away like this..."

"Hardly..." she glared slightly... "All this is because I didn't show in Rome...?"

"Certainly not..." she pouted... "It's cause I...With a little help from my latest boss and more or less latest in general...Came to realize that it was time I got on with life...And tried a new professional path...One with less stress and personal risk and a helluva lot better return..."

However...Owing to my previous career...And my general unsuitedness to do much else...I was not exactly prime executive material...

"You had your work with the Council...The Slayers needed..."

"I gave that up at Sunnydale...Except for helpin' Giles gather his girls in...And beatin off the guys who still want to challenge me and get their names in the occult book of records...I quit that day...And Giles knows that..."

And he knows what I threatened to do if he tried to pressure me back into the fold...she stared at him...

"We're nowheres near the Sunnydale crater...Though the way you're hitting the booze you won't need to leap off a cliff soon enough..."

"Short life but a merry one..." she raised her glass... Then was silent...

"I hated you that day...And for quite a while..." she said flatly...

Cause you let yourself die alone...Unloved...And made me a monster...she eyed his questioning look...

"All you had to do was believe me...And after all that damned effort one might've thought..." she sighed...

"I believed you..." he eyed her... "You loved me for a moment...That's why I couldn't come to Rome..."

Yeah...she nodded... Heartless Buffy wouldn't have wasted any time takin' that foolish slip of the tongue back...

"I guessed that was it..." she sighed...Playing with the glass in her hands...

"But I kept hopin', after Giles let me know what Willow had learned, trying to get a handle on what ole Angel was up to at WH...I kept hopin' you'd believe...And come...I even got myself worked up at Angel for a while...Made myself believe you would come like a shot but he and the Partners were keepin' you..."

Then Andy came back from LA and when I cornered him, told me you'd told him not to let me know about you...

"Well...Then I knew..." she leaned back... "You'd never trust in me...And you'd never come to me..."

And Henri showed up, eager to meet me through his connections to the Council, about two weeks later...

"Nothing like a semi-redeemed vampire to win a girl's heart..." he regarded her coolly...

"Not to mention an out-of-this-world fuck..." she smiled... "Not the same as ours but in its own unique way...Quite something..."

"So Darla and Dru once told Angelus and me..."

Yeah...I gathered pretty quick he wasn't the 'one-woman' type...But then I've gotten around in my time...How brief it may be...

"And he was more interested in the status of acquiring me...For his company..." she grinned at his frown...

"Job situation being what it was for college dropout Buffy, I took the offer...Anything to get away from Slaying, the Council..."

"Congrats then...Your life is right on track...As is our train...Sorry I let the Nibs get me nervous..." he rose...

"Wait..." she stared at him...

Why did you come?...Now...

"I thought you needed me...Coming when I think Buffy needs me has become a habit...That's why I came to Rome earlier..."

"Though I always make a fool..." he began...

"Rome?...When were you in Rome?..."

"Angel heard you were being 'stalked' by the Immortal...We came...Didn't Special Agent Wells tell you?...He gave us quite a lecture on 'movin' on'..."

The Head Poof took it hard but I...he paused...

"I knew there wasn't anything waiting for me there...I just wanted to be sure you were ok..."

She startled him by rising suddenly, fists clenched... "Bastard!...You stinking coward!...What do I have to do?...Die for you?...If I shove this..." she pulled a stake...A rather gleaming one...Mr. Pointy stained, varnished, and oiled he noted...from behind her champagne bottle on the small table beside her chair... "Into my heart, will that be enough?..."

"Buffy!..." he moved over, grabbing her arm...She furiously jerked her arm free...Staring at him, trembling... "I may as well, I'll never be free till I do...!"

"Buffy!..." He grabbed at her again... Then calmed a little as she pulled free and stood facing him...

"Fine...You want to play games, go ahead...I concede...You're as big a fool as I was...And as wallowing in self-pity..."

She stared at him a while, holding the stake by her side... "I'm not the cause of you throwing your life away, Summers...And I say 'throwing away' with all due respect to your new 'career', employer...And your obviously hefty income..."

You couldn't give me what I needed...Maybe you aren't what I was seeking...he eyed her... "But that's not a reason to punish yourself..."

And it sure as hell does me no Earthly good...he sighed... "As it's got Dawn and the rest determined to hound me until I get you back to your senses..."

She wanly grinned..."Here to save me...Again?...And this time for totally unselfish reasons, eh?..."

"Totally selfish..." he corrected... "It gave me the excuse I needed to make myself see you again at last..."

"Give it to me, girl..." he indicated the stake...Ummn... "From the other side, please..."

She chuckled and handed it over... "Guess I don't quite make it on your suicidal romantic scale... But then Henri's no Drusilla so I've got a much tougher job that way..."

"Well...You were never..." he began...Stopping as he saw her bleak face... "I will...Not today, not tomorrow...and not quick...But I will..." she told him quietly...

"Unless...You save me..."

"Girl...Hardly a twenty-first cent..." "I let you go last year and the year before I didn't lift a finger to help you even when Spike did all that he did to save me that year...I haven't any right to ask you to...But...Stay, please...Please...That's all you hafta do...Just stay...Save me, William...Like you came to..."

"You have to, you know..." she smiled wanly... "It's what you do..."

"Immortal Beloved..." LXVII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say,

"so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Rome...The eve of the day of the final battle with the Senior Partners...

Play main theme

The very thought of you...

She frowned at a rather agitated Andrew as he paced the apartment nervously...True, the news from New Council Chairman Giles was not too cheery regards Angel and his group...Though he'd cautioned them that the rumors of an impending power struggle in LA should not be taken as proof that the Brooding One had abandoned his alliance with Wolfram-Hart...It might even be a deception by an Angel who'd completely given himself over...No action was to be taken unless and until the situation cleared...

Naturally one felt concerned...But a little much considering he'd only known Angel slightly...

"Andrew...What's the deal?...Giles is monitoring the situation best he can...And Angel made his decision...He has to..."

Andrew halted and stared at her... "This isn't about Angel..."

She blinked at him...

"There's something I haven't told you..." he began... "But I was pledged..." he hastily added as she stared...

And I forget to do...The little ordinary things everyone ought to do...

The mere idea of you...The longing here for you...

You'll never know how slow the moments go til I'm near to you...

She dragged him out of the cab...Scanning the signs...Ok, that way...she grabbed him and set off...

"Where..." Andrew tried as she pulled him along... "Where do you think?..." she glared at him...Here...She pushed the terminal door and made for the departures desk...

"I called in...For two tickets to LA, first available?..." she handed over id and credit card...

"Here..." she turned back to Andrew, still firmly in her grip...Pulling out a cell phone and handing it to him... "See if you can reach any of the Slayers on that list..." she tapped the screen...

"They're locals...They might be able to reach them in time..."

Well?...She glared again... He took the phone and began selecting numbers...

"Don't you think we oughta...?..." he looked at her a moment, waiting for a number to go through as she nervously tapped on the counter in front of her... "No, but go back if you want...Thanks..." she nodded at the returned attendant, grabbing the offered tickets... "Gate 14..." the attendant called to her.. "Right...C'mon, Andrew, if you're comin'...We've only got fifteen minutes!...Use the phone on the plane!..."

I see your face in every flower...Your eyes in stars above...

Downtown LA...Thirty minutes before the battle...

"So...?" she eyed him... Andrew shook his head... "I still can only reach four in the area...Gilda and Phebe are the only ones who can get here in less than two hours...If we can pick Gilda up..."

"You..." her glare was near killing range... "If you'd only told me..." He blanched a little... "Spike made me promise..." he repeated again for the fortieth time...

All right...she sighed... Damn, why did Willow have to be off on that astral plane trip now?...Well... "You grab a cab and go get her and meet up with Phebe...Bring them over as soon as you can but don't let 'em get into it unless I tell ya...Probably all we can do is..." she paused... "We'll find him and get him out..."

"You're not going over there alone..." he eyed her, frowning... "I'm just gonna look things over and see if I can get them to wait for help...And I'll see if I can reach anybody else..."

"No...Not even the Greatest Slayer could do anything for them, alone...I won't..." he went down as she socked him in the jaw...Dragging him to a hidden alley corner...

"You're right, Andy...Even four Slayers won't make much difference here...Goodbye..." she kissed his unconscious face and headed out to the street...

It's just the thought of you...The very thought of you...

The alley where Angel's band was struggling, poor Gunn down and the rest isolated from each other as the hordes continued to pour in from their hell portal...

"William!..." she cried, seeing him in his tiny zone, surrounded completely now...Barely holding a few of the braver ones off with thrusts of a sword he'd picked up from one of them...He stared at her quickly, shocked...

Too late, I'll never reach him now...she realized...As a group from the mass moved on her, a bit uncertain as to what they might be dealing with...She grabbed a stick from the ground, making threatening motions, surrounded herself now...And cried to him one last time...

"She's coming, she'll be here in a minute!..." Dawn lied...

My love...She did not say...As the respective circles of demons closed in on them...

Of course it's not the last one...If you can't wait for the posting here, the full set of 138+ is at the Buffy Rebecca verse, "normal" verse page

...


	3. Chapter 3

"Immortal Beloved..." LXIX...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...(A series of potential outcomes rather than a single multi-part story...)

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, ., scroll down to the IB series...

The new offices of Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop at the old Wolfram-Hart Tower...Two weeks after the defeat of the Senior Partners...

Friday...

"So..." William, looking a bit uncomfortable in his new suit...(Thank God it's only for meeting clients...he noted)...Smiled at Harmony at her desk in the outer reception area as she gave up trying to look busy, noting it wasn't Angel or Gunn coming up on her...

"How's the soul treating ya, Ms. Kendall...?"

"Great..." she beamed... "Just great...And thanks again for arranging it with the Prophecy guy..."

Uh-huh...he smiled sardonically... "Thanks as in... 'Drop dead, you sodden bastards for stickin' me with this nightmare?'..."

Ummn...No...I...

"Harm...I've been there...It's a freakin' horror the first week...Then it gets worse..."

She stared at him...Worse?...

"Then..." she was quiet... "You and Angel did it to punish me?..."

And poor Dru?...

"No..." he shook his head... "We did it to save you...Both...But it's ridiculous for you to pretend that it's just a nice little bonus of working with us and that everything is hunky-dory...Recovering the soul after one's vamp frolic's the worst thing in the world and not something I for one am quite sure I can say I'm glad I did..."

"I...It...Hasn't been that bad for me...I mean, yeah..." she shuddered a bit... "Finding out I'd killed my own grandmother and brother...Along with a lot of other folks...That was a little hard to deal with...And the daylight thing and not being able to stop drinkin' blood and all..."

"And my family hating me...Wishin' I was in Hell, burnin'...That wasn't much fun...But hey..."

Least I got my job back...she smiled feebly...

"I am sorry...For the downside...I wish we coulda got you and Dru the Humanity brass ring, but to do both of you and free Angel from the curse's darker side...We had to give on the physical end..."

"Yeah...I understand..." Harm sighed...Then to her own surprise, started crying...Rather violently...

Ummn...He stared...Looking round for...Ah...He grabbed at the tissue box on her desk...There...

"There we go..." he patted her cheek with one and handed several more to her... "I'm soo...rry..." Harm gasped... "It's just...My own mother and father wish I was back in my grave...My friends who know about me hate me, or are gone or dead..."

I know I should be grateful for losing the demon but...I don't understand...she looked at him...

"Why?..."

"Why?...God knows, sweetheart...I stopped askin' after spending six weeks in a basement, insane and moaning to myself with only the First herself for company...But, in my humble...It's God who owes you, girl...Not vice versa...Never forget that, no matter how many times a day our beloved poof leader broods off about his guilt and need to redeem himself... You are not guilty..."

She sighed and nodded... "Thanks..." Then perked up a bit... "Tonight's the big night, huh?...You must be on the edge of your seat..."

"No, not really..." he was quiet...

In fact...

"I've been thinking I might go away for the weekend..."

What?...she stared at him...

"William?...What are you talkin' about?...They're all coming, at last..."

She's comin'...she eyed him...

"Not to see me...And I think it'd be best if I didn't see her..."

"Of course she's coming to see you..." she paused... "She specifically asked..."

"Just tell her I had an emergency..."

"An emergency?...What, like a death in the family?...You expect her to believe that?..."

No...he shook his head...But she'll get the message and I think she'll understand...

"But William...What's she gonna think...?"

"She damned well knows how I feel...And if she chooses to make a heartrending scene over it...That's her business...I can't stay...That's how it is..."

"Will, you can't do that to her...C'mon...Why don't you just stay and..."

"I do not want to see her again..." he said carefully and firmly...

"William...If my being here?..." she began...

No...he waved a hand, shaking his head... "It's nothing to do with you, Harmony..."

"I don't understand...Hell, even my demon didn't understand...You loved her, but you didn't...Won't...Even try..."

He sighed...Then rose and began walking about the room...

"You may as well know the whole story..." he said, not pausing...And not looking at her...

"The day I corporealized...After I left and you lot thought I was headed for Rome...After I'd decided it wasn't quite the best thing to do...I rang her place up..."

I figured she'd hear eventually...And I wanted it to be me telling her, even if I wasn't going to try and start things up again...

"Dawn took my call...And told me Buffy knew I was back...Courtesy Council intelligence...And did not want to talk to me..."

Being an utter fool when the road I didn't wish to take in the first place gets blocked, I insisted...And she told me that Buf had been through hell after I died...And more...

"Three weeks after Sunnydale caved in...She found out she was pregnant..."

Harmony blinked...Preg...?

"We'd been together just before...That day...It had been...I thought...It had meant something...To both of us..."

Anyway...

"It seems that those wives' tales about vamp/human intercourse are just that...Though it is difficult..."

"She did consider having it, Dawn told me...But in the end, the thought of it being mine, an undead thing, perhaps, inside her, was too horrible and she had an abortion...Which, of course, was her choice..."

It was human, naturally...Dawn claimed they'd had no idea of the sex...I imagine it was a girl...he sighed...

"After three more calls, Dawn having done her best to put me off...Buffy took the phone and told me how sorry she was...But...She could not bear the idea of facing me..."

So...I told her I was sorry, too...And that...He gave a wan smile... "Was that..."

William...

"I told Andrew not to tell her I was back when he dropped in on us...But that was just to cover for her with Angel and the rest of you..."

"But..." Harmony stared at him... "You went to Rome with Angel...To..."

"I love her...I wanted to be sure she was alright...But I made sure I didn't get in her way...And she never knew..."

"She knew..." Harmony shook her head... "She told me and Angel when she called that she knew you'd been in Rome...Andrew told her..."

Ah... "Well...The intention was well-meant..."

"She wants to see you...She told me that..."

"Maybe...Maybe things have changed now that the Immortal's around and she's started feeling the guilts or whatever...But I don't want to see her...And it all can't be about her, Harm...I am, more or less, where it counts...Almost human again...And I don't deserve to suffer...So...Tell her...I'm sorry...And sorry I wasn't allowed to be there for her..."

She'll understand...he paused...But if she doesn't...All the more reason for me not to see her...

"So tell the grand exulted Poof-boy I'm sorry to miss the company picnic but my personal time is just that...See ya Monday...Probably..." he patted her arm and headed for the door...Pausing...

And tell her...If she does come...

"I do, too..."

Immortal Beloved..." LXX...

...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long

as I like it, it's ok..."

Something new, I've modified the earlier IB 66 in this one...

November 2004, night...On board the Venice Simplon-Orient Express, heading for Budapest...One of the luxury dining cars...

Beautifully attired in black evening gown, though worn with a careless air as if to say it hardly mattered to her if you were attracted or not, the young blonde woman was smiling softly at first one, than the other of the two seated on either side of her...One, a tall, dark-haired, immaculately-groomed, elegant-looking man, with an aristocratic air...Youthful one might say unless one looked closely into his old, even ancient, eyes...The other, a bit more conventional, a handsome, reasonably dashing young officer of one of Europe's various armed forces...

From his secluded seat, carefully chosen, the slight blonde man watched the group impassively as the train sped on through the night...The woman playfully touching the sleeve of the officer, then turning to the other...Who seemed unruffled by her obvious flirtativeness while the officer seemed a bit more anxious, even a little insistent in his efforts...She whispered in his ear, something that clearly did not please him, most likely a gentle tease or perhaps a polite, half-joking insistence that he tone his ardor a trifle...

He flushed and pulled back...The other man giving him a faint smile of something like sympathy mixed with a kind of world-weariness, as if the game of the evening was beginning to bore slightly...She turned back to him, flashing a bright smile...Playfully fingering a large earring...Pearl, almost no doubt...Looking round the train car briefly...

Blinking as she looked in the direction of the hidden blonde man...Who realized she'd caught the briefest glimpse as he'd leaned forward to observe her better...But he'd pulled back before she'd been certain, he was sure...

She stared his way for a long moment then seemed to shrug the vision off and returned to her teasing game between her two companions...But the young officer had apparently had enough...He rose, a bit tense, but managing to maintain a polite air, excused himself...The other rising slightly, offering a gracious hand...She looking a bit furgitively yet again in the direction of the blonde man's booth for a bare second, then smiled up at the soldier...Or pilot or sailor...Yes, pilot most likely, the blonde man thought, pulling back into the recesses of his booth...

A few moments later, after a bit of apparently idle chatter, the dark-haired man rose, clearly making a polite good-night to the woman...Who extended her hand for a brief kiss and smiled gently at him as he turned to go...

After he'd gone, she waved to the waiter passing by and reordered the drink she'd been slipping from...Again glancing down the way...Then idly fingering the newly delivered drink for a bit after smiling kindly at the young waiter, clearly as smitten as the young officer...

Suddenly she rose and moved down the car towards the booth...Halting by it without looking at the man seated, he leaning back against the wall of the booth...

"The fourth car, compartment 3...He's not there..." she murmured to the dark booth softly, still not looking into it...And continued on...

About fifteen minutes later, he rose out of the booth, left some money on the table, and went down the car in the direction she'd taken...

Compartment #3...

"He came..." she whispered at the face in the large dressing mirror... "You were wrong, he came...He's come to me..."

So?...He came to check on things when they called him...A malicious smile back from the mirror... I'd be surprised if he didn't...

And what does it matter to our arrangement?...Except to confirm that I kept my part of the bargain...Unless you're thinkin' he's come to get you out of our deal...Which I promise you, he is not...He has no idea what you...We...Did for him...Courtesy me pushin' dear ole Lindsay...

But hey, as I say...I'm not objectin' to seeing him again...So long as you keep your end of our deal...Which seems a pretty fair one on your side to my way of thinkin'...

"You're trying to change me...I know it, I feel it..." she murmured... "Turning me into..."

Change you?...She gave and saw a startled look in the mirror...Change Buffy the Law, the Greatest Slayer of 'em all?...With your humongous will power?...Impossible...C'mon...

I'm just havin' myself a lil' fun in the few moments your incredible strength of character allows me to take and maybe helpin' you learn how to loosen up and enjoy the good things in this pitifully short, mortal existence...Hey...It's not like I'm tryin' to back out of this...You wanted him saved, no matter what, and I sure as hell kept my end of our little bargain, Summers...You just saw the Unliving proof...Your lil' blonde honey is walkin' and talkin'...Here, not in Hell...Not lost among the stars...

You cut a deal with the First that day back at the mouth of the crater, babe... she smiled coldly at herself in the mirror...And there's no wiggle room in that kind of contract...

"I'll never be you...Never let you have control..." Never expected that, babe...Heck you creamed me twice, countin' that time with Angel, right?...How could I ever hope to grab the reins?...Nah, like I say, I just want a connection to your world and a lil' chance to occasionally experience a bit of what the corporeal side has to offer...

Which I'd say shows a pretty damned good spirit on my side, considering I was one step away from world conquest only a few months ago...Giving you William, intact, for only a little corner in you where I can watch the world wear away in my bitter exile...

And by our agreement I can't even step forward to speak with you unless you're aware of my presence...So what's the big fuss?...Even if this way is my usual slow and patient modus operandi rather than the grandiose thing with the Ubers and poor Caleb I tried...You're the one who was sure she couldn't ever become a tool in my hands...And I concede, Buf...You can't be my instrument...Not in the way I'd like...The way I did hope, back when I thought you might surrender to despair in the end...

No, best I can hope for now...The only victory I can win...Is basically to give you what you really want, deep down...A chance to give up this world-saving nonsense and live your own, somewhat frivilious and empty life as that dull dolt, the Immortal's...God, was ever Immortality wasted on a guy, Buf?...He wants to be a 'player' in the human world?...Geesh...Coquette...

Maybe a bit of a disappointment to friends, admirers...Ex-lovers...And even some of your ole foes...But hardly a great triumph for me...

Unless you want to back out of our deal?...Oops, nope...Too late...I got your John Hancock on the contract and more important...Since we didn't really sign anything...I got my hooks in...

Ya want me to go?...Make me... a cold chuckle within as the dark smile in the mirror deepened... But take care...Cause you wouldn't wanta try, fail, piss me off, and in some off moment have me go and strangle our lil' Dawny in her sleep?...Or catch you when really blanked out and whiz over to London to let ole Giles have a night he won't forget...Cause he wouldn't wake up...

Or maybe even our blondie boy here...Hey, he's available, right?...And he was what this deal was all about...So why shouldn't he be the price of cutting me loose...If you even could, which I'm afraid, sister...You'll find you can't...

Yeah...Maybe a quick stake shove?...Sure be easier on him than what he's been going through, thinkin' you dumped him quicker than you can say 'the Immortal'...

And you won't even remember doin' it...she grinned at herself... Not even sure if maybe you did do it...Cause you been gettin' so testy recently...And havin' all those scary dark dreams?...That made you take His B's offer and give up killin'...William's kind...

"He's here...And you don't control me...I can stop you...You won't pull me down..."

Hard to do...When you don't even remember I'm here...Hey, Buffy, you don't remember I'm here, ok?...Til the next time I wanna play with your head, sis...

Have some fun with Willie boy...He's such a cute, simple-brained moron...Maybe you can get him to screw you before you send him back to LA for good...Not that he matters anymore, the fight bein' over...But he is hot...And probably loaded, via Wolfram-Hart...Bye, sister...

She blinked at herself...Wan and a bit confused was the face staring back...Then a slow smile...Hey, pretty face...

What a shame Reinhart got so hot and bothered...But Henri was happy with the way things worked out...Just...Might've been fun...And profitable...To get to know that one better...

Maybe another time...Anyway, looks like I'll be occupied tonight...She scanned her face, then hair and dress carefully...Perfect...

So cute, that William, if a little moronic in the romance department...Gotta see if he might go for a little fun before he heads back...

Another blink...William...No...I...

Wonder how he and Angel made out with Wolfram-Hart?...Bet he could manage a little something nice for his Slayer girl...Till I cut him loose again...

Can't let him drag me back to the ole days...That ole life...No, I'm free of it now...

"Free..." she repeated, whispering to the mirror...Her face smiling back...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXI...

A longer one and...The most surreal yet, enjoy...I sure did...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..." The night of the battle with the Senior Partners...

Obviously, this one is meant to be, well...I intend to play with it a few times more as new ideas occur...

(See I was reading "Ulysses" to help with some scenes in "Devil and Dr. Walthrop" and got to the night scene, after Bloom and Stephen leave Horne's hospital and...)

I Get Along Without You Very Well (Hoagy Carmichael, Jane Brown Thompson)-

"I get along without you very well

Of course, I do

Except when soft rains fall

And drip from leaves then I recall

The thrill of being sheltered

In your arms

Of course, I do

But I get along without you very well

I've forgotten you

Just like I said I would

Of course, I have

Or maybe except when I hear your name

Someone's laugh that's just the same

I've forgotten you just like

I should

What a guy

What a fool am i

To think my aching hearth

Could keep the moon

What's in store

Should I phone once more

No, it's best that I stick to my tune

I get along without you very well

Of course, I do

Except perhaps in spring

But I should never

Ever think of spring

For that would

Surely break my heart in two..."

William is seen, lying alone in a pool of blood, largely his own...Stillness in the air...He twitches a bit...Opening eyes...

"I get along without you, very well..." a voice sings...Badly... "Of course, I do..."

"Except perhaps in spring..."

He stares in shock at two figures running to him...Identical Buffies...

"Buff...fy...?" They reach him... "William...!"

I'm here...Hey!...their voices echo...

"He's mine...I loved him and tormented him in a purely spiritual way!...Having no physical body!..." the First shouts... "I used him, abused him, and denied him!...I love him, he's mine!..." Buffy cries...

The First and Buffy fight over Will's body...One pulls off an arm, raising it in triumph... Excelsior, triumphant!...she cries...The other rips away a leg...

"Ladies...If you wouldn't mind..." William calls faintly...

Cicely appears overhead, thinner than the late Halfreck, in angel costume... "My love is effulgent, shrouded in raven's-colored midnight clothes!..." she sings...Descending to Earth, she grabs the First and dispatches her with a stakepoint slice across the throat...

You!...Buffy whirls to face her nemesis... "You come late, but at last you come...William will be free, but not through you!..." she charges...

"Dah...Dah-dah-dah..." Cicely hums the opening bars of the Buffy theme...Catching the charging Slayer neatly while stepping to one side... "We're beneath him, sister...But you much more than I..."

"No..." Buffy nervously looks round...Phew, no one she knows...An apologetic smile to William on the ground, detached arm and leg off by his right side... "I never had anything to do with unsouled vampires...I'm a good, golden girl, I am...Noble, forthright, and true...I only lie in the dark..."

Lie for me, William, my love...she hisses to him as he writhes in agony... "Tell the world I loved you only in the abstract...As a symbol of redemption..."

I'll make it up to you...Tonight...A wink...

"Oh, foul..." Cicely shakes her head as Buffy tries to twist out of her grip... "We are still no better after a century..." She releases and steps into Buffy and Buffy is now dressed in nineteenth century costume...With parasol and brunette hair piled high...

"I can't see you, William..." Buffy states coolly in an English accent... "I got my eyes closed..." she chuckles, reverting to her Buffy voice, remaining in Cicely costume...

"Cicely...?" Will gasps from the ground...

"Got your message...Loud and clear, babe..." she grins... "This is 'for Cicely'..." She comes to him, bending down...Kissing him gently on the forehead...Then blinks in horror, eyeing the missing arm and leg... "William, you're hurt?...Did I do that?..."

I forget a lot of things...she sighed...

"Just get me..." he begins... "Anything...Within reason..." she nods...

Cicely steps out in her nineteenth century dress, Buffy reverting to modern costume... "Doctor!...Is there a doctor round?...Damned century!..." Cicely calls...

Buffy crying out... "EMT!...Ambulance!...Witch!..."

Willow appears out of thin air, with black bag... "Dr. Rosenberg, WD, WMD, PhD, WDDS at your service..."

My card...She materializes an engraved, glowing-in-the-dark card, handing it to Buffy... "Dr. Rosenberg...I kill...or..."

Cash up front, no refunds...Willow notes curtly... "I dumped my compassion four years ago, it was getting me nowhere...It's a business for me now..."

Though I really get off on the power of life and death...she grins...

"Doctor, save my beloved!..." Cicely cries...Hey!...Buffy glares...And steps into her...Cicely now wearing modern clothes, blonde hair...

"I love you..." she whispers to William...As Dr. Rosenberg begins her examination...

"I love you better...And I said it..." a grin...Buffy steps out, Cicely reverting to before...

"Acts speak louder than feeble 'i love you' squeaks..." she notes in a stern voice... "And I acted..."

"And screwed the pooch..." Buffy chuckles...

"Ladies..." Dr. Rosenberg rises, sighing... "I fear I have bad news..."

He's dead, Buffy...

Both Buffy and Cicely exchange horrified looks...

"I am...?" William asks...Oh, right...

"But the soul goes on forever...With me..." Cicely notes hopefully, but casting a smug look at Buffy...

"My soul..." Buffy glares... "He won it in a card game for me...Staking my last kitten..."

"Please...You never wanted it..." Cicely sneers... "I know the part you wanted...Lil' blondie Buffy, scared to death of Death...Wants to suck the Immortal out of the Immortals...Dies and comes back...And she's more scared than ever...Scaredy cat..."

No fair!...Buffy cries... "You were, too!...That's why!..."

"Ladies..." Dr. Rosenberg interrupts... "I think I can help him recover the use of his limbs...If I can teleport him to my clinic...One moment..."

She wants him...Buffy hisses to Cicely... "She's always liked him since he tried to kill her..."

Like with me, but I was first...And he only wanted to kill her to get to me...she beams at William, glaring afterwards at Willow...Who tries to assume a dignified, stern air of medical propriety...

"I am gay, now...I don't lust after this glorious, beautious Champion (any more, she whispers)...And I am a doctor...I'm entitled to peek..." the Doctor Rosenberg notes...Grinning at Will...

"He never had to try and kill me...He was mine and I was his right from the start..." Cicely beams at Will...

"I saved him from the First..." Buffy frowns... "It wasn't all just me, me, me...What a therapist...Though not much shakes as a rapist, he was..."

Holds up a sign... "Dr. William S. Walthrop, Ph.D, licensed therapist...Depressive conditions a speciality..."

"I tried to save him from Death..." Cicely glares... "Ha!...Tried!..." Buffy laughs harshly... "See, Will!... 'Tried!'..."

I never start what I can't finish...she grins...Cicely in smouldering rage...

"I have to get him out of here, now...Give me a hand with him..." Willow looks at the two...Cicely eyes Buffy...Buffy, Cicely... "Order of century, must maintain the balance..." they jointly note...Cicely steps into Buffy again...Though Buffy retains modern dress... "Come on, William...I'm gonna help you..." she reaches down for his still attached arm...

Ok...Willow puts an arm round Will's back...One, two...Threeeeeeee...They lift him...Aieeeeee!...As Buffy stakes Willow in the heart...

"Never trusted her after what she did to Oz...And Tara..." she notes, holding Will up on his remaining leg... "Lets..."

Angel, immaculately groomed, in dapper business suit, surrounded by crowd of adorers, appears...

Angel?...Buffy stares...

"Of course, I want to be with you, Buffy...But the thought makes me so happy my Evil Warning Light just went on, rats...Guess we'll have to wait a few more decades..." he grins to the crowd...

"Pose for us, our glorious one!..." the crowd moans... Angel dutifully takes a heroic pose, various women and men in the crowd fainting... "Our new Christ!..." he adopts a Christ-like stance...Arms outstretched...

"My mum is so proud..." he smiles... "Every Irish mum's dream is for her son to be the one and only new imitation Christ..."

Accept no substitutes...He glares at William...

Angel...? Buffy stares... "Gotta run, babe...Get my dragon's head mounted..." he fades...

"Bastard always gets in my way...Damned soul of his..." Cicely sticks her head out of Buffy's neck... "Quiet, you..." Buffy shoves her down...

Dawn runs up to the couple as Buffy leads the one-legged, one-armed William down the street...Streetlights smiling down on them...Literally...

"Guys, wait up...!" Oh, Lord...Sister/daughter/pure heart of myself is here to be a pain in our butts...And a damper on my action...she hisses to William...Tell her you used her to get to me...And don't let her see your cool Jacket, WS...

He looks down, to see that over his leather coat, he's now sporting RJ's football jacket...Which burst into rather harmless flames as he does...The ashes falling from him to the ground...

"So, is the fight over?...Are the Senior Partners dead...?" Dawn looks round...Not all that much gore splashed about...

Si...a Senor, the Partner Joseph, appears in business suit, nodding...We are all dead...

Gracias, Senor Partner...Dawn nods as the bald little 'man' fades out...

Tell her I killed 'em for ya...Buffy whispers softly in his ear...But only for platonic reasons...

"I GET ALONG WITHOUT HIM VERY WELL!...COURSE I DO!..." she sings nervously at the top of her voice, pulling Will along...

"She's lyin'..." Dawn tries to take Will's other arm...Hmmn...Oh, there...she races over to grab it...Holding it fondly as she returns... "She was a wreck after Sunnydale...Gave up Slayin'..."

Couldn't kill 'em anymore...Kept seein' you in their every sneering threat to rip her guts apart...Or the look in their eyes just as they dusted, I know...Dawn grins...Cause I'm not her sister...I'm her hot, hungry little heart...Buffy glares...

"Every girl's got a hungry heart...Every girl's got a..." Dawn begins... "Ummn...Ladies, could we...?" Will tries...

"Oh, God yes..." the Summers ladies chorus...Beaming at him... Uh, no...Not quite up for that...he politely replies...

Oh...They give downcast looks... "We must get William to a hospital for the terminally romantic..." Buffy assumes her Cicely voice, brunette hair, and costume... "He must have a good death...The last one was so bad...So unfittingly unVictorian..."

Indeed...A grim, but young and rather pretty Queen Victoria appears in front of them in the street, frowning at the trio...Actually bearing considerable resemblance to Willow..."I take it you, miss... And you, sir...And you, young lady...Are not lawfully married?...In the eyes of God?..."

"Yes, ma'am..." Buffy in Cicely mode waves a certificate... "We were married on the sly...Then I killed him for his unfaithfulness in undying..."

"That is most appropriate...Though we are not amused...Very well..." the Queen eyes them...They curtsy...She graciously refraining from a disapproving comment on William's performance, having noticed his lamentable injuries...She vanishes...

"May I see that, Buffy...?" Will eyes the certificate...Which eyes him back and leaping out of Buffy's hand, runs off... "Hello, my baby...Hello, my honey...Hello, my ragtime gal..." its voice fades off...

"See what?..." Buffy in modern Buffy mode eyes him brightly...

Told you...Dawn whispers... "Run off with me when she's not lookin'...I'm the best part of her for you...Why do think Cicely would jump in the vortex if her best part wasn't still gonna be here for you?..."

"I am the Monarch of TV...The ruler of my Ci-ty...Whose praise LA proudly chants..." Angel marches by singing...Band in full regalia behind him playing on instruments...

"And we are his helpers, his girlfriends, and his aunts..." a trail of followers sings...Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn, Doyle, Darla, Kate, and many others lost among the group...

"He always cuts in just when I think we got rid of him..." Dawn frowns...Yeah, Buffy, still in modern outfit nods...Dawn smiling at William as they both support him on his one leg...She still holding his detached arm fondly... "I, her heart, never really like him all that much...Remember the phony memories?...Heck, I remember he was human once...and still didn't take her..." Whoa...Buffy stared...

"When the heck?..." she looks after Angel and his marchers, stopping to run through a drill sequence...Phew...

"Yeah, a narrow getaway..." Dawn nods... "That time hee...hee...he.. told ya it was too dangerous to have him by, human..."

Mmmphf...Buffy chuckles...God, wish I'd remembered that...

"Brother!..." a halted Angel heartily embraces his newly appeared twin, Angelus... "God, lad...And it's to you I owe me freedom from you know what with you know who..."

"Anytime, me dear boy...Brother of me heart..." Angelus pats him on the back... "Just call on me anytime to save you lad from that fate worse than mortal life..." He vanishes and the march is resumed...

"William, executive board meeting at 11:00 am of the clock on Monday the 11th..." he calls back...

"He's bleeding...Buffy..." Dawn gives a nervous look at Will's arm and leg sockets...From which blood has been pouring for a bit...Oh!...

"Quick, Will!...Bite me, my darlin'...Leave me dry..." Buffy pauses and leaving him awkwardly supported by Dawn, stretches her neck in front of him...

"No?...Sure?..." she straightens up as he shakes his head... "...'Member when we did that one in the crypt?...The Helpless, Besotted Slayer Surrenders Herself to the Enthralling Evil Vampire?...Right after you got me to dress up in a dress like this?..." she resumes Cicely dress...

"Wait!..." a voice calls from behind...Blue Illyria in Fred dress running to them, bearing multiple grevious wounds... "William, light of my unhappy existence...Tell me who I am..."

"Illyria..." he gasps... "What's..."

"Here, I can fix it..." she materializes a cauterizing tool out of the air and burns his open wounds in shoulder and thigh socket closed...He surprised to be feeling nothing... "The anesthetic effect is my own improvement on a primitive traditional technique..." she proudly beams...

"Dr. Burkle, I presume..." Buffy in Cicely outfit, curtsying slightly, as does Dawn... "Mrs. Walthrop..." Illyria bows slightly...

William-stealing bitch...Buffy politely notes...Buffy...Dawn hisses... "What would Mom say?..."

"Kill the bitch, honey..." Joyce notes politely, disappearing as fast as she had appeared...

"I'll help you, William..." Illyria comes to him... "I can do it, I'm a PhDD., majoring in Demonic Quantum Metahysics...And though I love another, my compassion is unselfishly boundless..."

I can help you...She moves to take the detached arm from Dawn who pulls her other arm from Will's back to cover the loose arm in her other hand... "No way, you...!"

Illyria morphs into Drusilla... "I can help you, William...I see the fires in your mind..."

But no sex, for I am to be a nun...She solemnly states...Donning nun's habit...

Cicely hops out of Buffy and in nineteenth century dress, she, Buffy, and Dawn all humming the Buffy theme, charges her, bringing Dru down...They roll on the ground, Dru screaming for help...

"I am a lost innocent, God and his angels protect me!..." Wesley in angel wings, backed by a heavenly host, appears...All silently gazing as they hover above the group...

"The innocent only wish to help!..." Drusilla screams, morphing back into Illyria...Who throws Cicely off...

"The innocent screw it up..." Wes sighs from on high... "But c'mon, girl...You remind me of an old flame...Heaven's the only place safe for your poor heart..." Oh, Wesley...she beams as he flies over to her and extends a hand...

"Let me know how things turn out, William..." she waves at Will, morphing back into Drusilla as she, Wesley, and the host of angels fly up... "I only wanted to help the nice gentleman..." she turns to Wes as they rise...

"Angelus bit me and I don't remember a thing..." Cicely sneers, coming over to William, Dawn and Buffy on his sides, supporting him...Then steps back into Buffy, Buffy retaining modern dress... "Yeah..." she frowns, looking up where Wes and Dru are fast vanishing into the upper sky...

"If it weren't for the innocent, we'd be free and long dead in our graves...Keepin' each other warm..." she sighs... "But, c'mon William...I gotta get back to Rome before my new lover misses me..."

"Ciao, ciao, bambino..." Dawn mockingly sings...

Buffy pats her pocket... "Where's Mr. Pointy...?"

Mr. Pointy, lying on the ground, gets up, singing... "I am Buffy's tool...Turning her foes to gruel...Just let me fly, the Undead undie...Oh, I am Buffy's tool..."

Hmmn...Dawn grins at a nervous Buffy... "Sounds Freudian to me, sis..."

A young, top-hatted, bespectacled Dr. Sigmund Freud appears...Looking like a cross between Xander and Holden the therapist...

Ja...he pronounces...Very meian...

"I only made him dress up like a girl once in the crypt...Tell them, Will..." Buffy nudges William...

He wakes to find himself in a hospital room...Dawn in a chair watching him... "Buffy!..." she calls... Buffy, looking like she's been sleeping...If she has slept...In her clothes, rushes to him... "William..."

"What's..." "We're in the hospital Wolfram-Hart owned...Angel and the others are ok..." she pats him...

Guess I showed up with the gang just in time...she grins...

Yeah...he whispers...Staring at her worn, wan face...

"Next time...Don't keep your girl waitin'..." she wags a finger at him... "If Andrew hadn't broken down the other day when Giles told us things were hoppin' here..."

"Dr. Summers..." A nurse breaks in...Drusilla...He notes in shock... "The patient is deteriorating...He needs immediate treatment..."

Right...Buffy suddenly is wearing a medical coat... "I think only extreme measures can save him..."

Dawnie, get the tools!...she turns to Dawn... "Tools...?"

"The tools I been using for the last ten years..." Dr. Summers frowns...Oh, those tools...Dawn nods and vanishes...

"What...?" he gasps... "Don't worry, your employer's health plan will cover this procedure..." Dr. Summers notes with a smile...

"But it is gonna hurt you a lot more than me..." a grin...

"The First..." he whispers... "You're..."

She stares...No longer in coat... "William?...Dawn, get the nurse!..." Dawn hurries from her seat...

She resumes medical outfit...Dawn back now, with implements of torture...Setting them on a tray...

"The First?...Please...I hurt you plenty without the First buttin' in..." she takes a set of pincers from the tray... "Heat these..." she turns to Dawn, now in nurse's outfit...Nurse Dru also standing by, though looking uncertain...

"Want 'em nice and hot...Like you, babe..." Dr. Summers grins... Dawn returning the heated pincers...Nurse Dru protesting slightly... "This is not standard procedure, doctor..." she begins as Buffy lifts the rear end of Will's sheet and reaches in with the pincers...

"Start singing..." she commands him... "When you turn soprano, I'm done..."

...Or you are, rather...she grins as he screams in agony...

"William!...William, don't!..." Buffy holds him down as he struggles in bed...Dawn rushing in with a nurse...

"You're safe with me!...Honey, darling!...Safe...It's alright..." He quiets...

"What are you, his mother?..." Mrs. Walthrop in respectable nineteenth century garb appears by the opposite side of his bed...Buffy and Dawn staring... "Get away from my son, you murderess!...You selfish, grasping fiend!..." she snarls...But in strictly human mode...

William blinks to find himself in his old suit, hair back to curly, brown...Seated on a settee in his home, holding a teacup...His mother eyeing him anxiously from the favorite chair she's seated in, holding a plate which she'd been offering to another person, seated beside him... "William?...Are you alright?..." she asks anxiously...

Uh...Mother?...he stares...

"William...?" Cicely seated next to him, stares as well... "You've been staring off for the past two minutes...Is anything wrong?..."

Cicely?...he blinks at her...Beaming at him from six inches away...

"No, I..." he rubs his temple... "Had the strangest dream..."

"Have some tea..." his mother pats his knee...Cicely taking the plate of cake and cookies from her...

Perhaps we'd best do this later...William should rest...Mrs. Walthrop eyes Cicely...Oh...A downcast look... Yes, of course...But...

"Couldn't we go over the terms ourselves?...William and I are quite settled between us, right Will?..." Cicely eyes him anxiously...

Ummn...

"My qualifications as his mate are excellent, I assure you, Mrs. Walthrop..." she hastily notes...Offering several sealed envelopes... "My financial statement, a letter from the Council of Watchers testifying to my prowess as a Slayer...A letter signed by all my dead mothers stating my heart is truly a yearning and honest one..."

"I have my doubts, dear..." Mrs. Walthrop shakes her head...

"Your future self didn't exactly handle the retrieval well..." she notes...

"Buffy's an idiot..." Cicely waves an anxious hand... "American upbringing...But it was the best I could manage...Please..." she morphs into Buffy...Who rises in Cicely's nineteenth century clothes as Will stares...Buffy?...

She sings...Opening parasol...

"I make out pretty well...With fiends from Hell...They get me hotter than human guys...

So I keep going through the motions...Pretending to despise...

But only the Undead...Raise me to the skies..." She smiles and sits...

"As I say...I have my doubts..." Mrs. Walthrop shakes her head...

Now that Drusilla had her faults...But she was a devoted mother...she notes...

An angry-looking, pudgy, sandy-haired fellow in a jacket with "Producer" written across the back, the letters blinking in three neon colors, runs up to where William is staring round the LA? street where he had just rematerialized in his Spike outfit...Fortunately plus the formerly missing limbs...Buffy and Dawn standing nearby eyeing him...Buffy making waving motions to be quiet as the man reaches them...

"Dammit!...This is not the way the thing is supposed to work out!...Look here!...It my Book of Fate!..." he waves a loose-bound book marked "Script-Angel 6/Buffy8" in large letters... "

"Idiots!...You tools, you slaves of my glorious imagination!...I am The Immortal Producer (ooooh, the Immortal...Heard so much about him...Buffy eyes him eagerly... "And the sex part is true..." she winks at William...), decider of all Fates and I say...This is not!..." A screaming Drusilla runs into him, attacking him savagely in the neck, biting so hard that with a single hard pull she's able to rip his head off and toss it into the nearest gutter...Gutter on the roof of a house that is...

Whoa...Dawn stares... "Nasty..." Drusilla sighs... "To leave the poor little Dru to her hideous fate, uncared for and unloved...William..." she beams at him... "You are avenged at last, sir...Toodaloo and cheerio, pets..." she strolls off happily... "Thanks, Dru..." Buffy waves...

I woulda done it for ya, Will...In just a mo...If she hadn't gone and done it...she hisses to him...

No!...NO!...the head cries from the gutter above... "Buffy!...You said you were over him..." a feeble plea...

"I lie to be kind sometimes!...Ask Will here..." she calls back... "You oughta know that, you made me what I am tonight..."

"Lets slip outta here while you still got four limbs attached..." Dawn hisses to William... "I'm better for ya..." Hey!...Buffy turns back to them... "You wanted him, ya shoulda killed Willow when she was about to resurrect me..."

"Where are you two taking me...?" William asks as the girls drag him along down the street...

"Where else, now you're limbed again...To a mall to celebrate our triumph!..." Buffy notes...

Dah...Dah-Dah-Dah...The girls begin humming the Buffy theme again...

Oh...Geesh...Anya's head appears in ghostly image before them, Buffy and Dawn dragging William through the misty image...

"That's right, ignore me...And go off to a mall while my corpse lies festerin'..." Anya's head sighs...

"I wish you'd suffer worse than I did...!" she yells...

"Already been there, endured that!.." Buffy calls back...Oh, well...An old friend in pain...she sighs..and runs back...

Xander's drinking himself to death in remorse...she notes, kindly... Aw...Anya's head beams...

"Thank you, Buffy...Tell him to drink faster...But only low-carb...I won't want him in Heaven if he's fat... "

"That was nice, sis..." Dawn smiles at her as Buffy retakes Will's arm... "Eh, I can't kill her...May as well make her happy..."

The Mall...

"Looks familiar..." William notes as he, Dawn, and Buffy walk down the crowded main corridor...

"Eh, they're all the same...Seen one in Sunnydale, ya seen them all..." Dawn waves a hand...

"But this one has a 'Welcome to the Sunnydale Mall' sign up there..." William points...Or tries to, suddenly realizing he is again missing one arm and one leg...Buffy holding him steady...Hang in there, babe...she pats him...Looking down... "After all, nothing essential's missin'..." she grins...

Maybe that hospital wasn't a bad idea...he notes the empty shoulder and thigh sockets...

"Nah...I"ll help ya..." Buffy pats the remaining arm... "You ain't heavy, you're my lover..."

I did come for you that time...she halts, eyeing him... "I didn't abandon you that time..."

"No, you didn't love..." he nods... "And it was the happiest moment of my miserable existence since 1880..."

Not?...Dawn stares at him... "The... 'I love you'...?" he shakes his head... "That wasn't..."

"Joke's on you..." Buffy glares...And vanishes... "Alone at last..." Dawn beams, quickly catching Will before he falls...Helping him to a chair in the food court with the help of several patrons...

"Lemme get us some drinks and a coupla Doublemeat Specials, ok..." she starts off... "Dawn...?"

"I'll ask for extra bloody on your burger..." "No...Dawn..." he pauses... "Here and available..." she grins...

"This...Is this Hell?..." Will asks her... "Only on Saturdays when the place is packed..." she smiles...

"Don't let it all get to you, guys...Hey, Spike!..." she waves and heads off...

"Bad day?..." Spike in old Slayer's duster, seated in the chair Dawn just vacated, eyes William, the boys otherwise identical... "So, so..." Will sighs...

"Gotta be worse for me, mate...Why didn't you screw Summers when you got the limbs back?...That was my gift by the way, bro...She was ready and waiting..."

I know, I know...the demon shrugs... "Wasn't the right moment...God, kid...It never is and never will be for you...I take us to Africa, give up my happy, carefree existence for you and that blonde wood-tosser to find happiness and you wind up refusin' her however half-hearted declaration of love and the finest chance a souled vamp ever had to honorably enter a girl's pants?..."

"She didn't..." "Who cares if she didn't mean it, moron?...You had her lock, stock, and barrel...She was emotionally cornered and you know Summers folds in the emotional corner department..."

So Willow wasn't your resurrector...he waves a hand...And Buffy wasn't waitin' breathlessly in mourning black for her one hope for happiness to reappear...

"She went off with..." "Screw him...Anyway she's here now...Or was till you pissed her off..."

"Spike?...What's really up here?...Is this..."

"Would you trust me to tell the God's honest truth?..." Spike eyes him with a grin... "So why bother askin'..."

Though it does look bad, me being here...he notes... "But you're an innocent lad...A hapless victim...Why would you be Hell-bound?..."

"Yes, why?..." one of the Doublemeat Special burgers on the returning Dawn's tray asks...She passes it to William... "Better get me one too, Nibs...Or I'll have to kill you..." Spike smiles kindly at her...Tossing a couple of dollars at her...She fumes a bit but heads back...

"Rare, you know..." he calls... Yeah, yeah...

"So...I asked a question?..." the burger is a bit vexed... "Why do you think you'd be Hell-bound, William?...Why did you believe you would be dragged to Hell back at Angel's..."

"Things have a way of goin' badly for me...And I figured Hell didn't really care regarding my 'innocent victim' status..." Will bites into the burger...

"Morte...Dust to dust, reprocessed imitation beef vegetable patty to reprocessed imitation beef vegetable patty..." the burger whispers...

Good?...Spike asks... "Bit overdone..."

Sorry...Geesh, everyone's a critic...the burger notes...

"Spike!...Get away from him!..." Cicely appears in nineteenth century dress, stake in hand... "Careful, William...He's here to lure you from me..."

"Lady..." Spike sighs...Rising... "I'm the boy who got him back for you...I just wanted to wish him well and tell him your most intimate sexual fantasies..."

"He already knows them...He is you, remember...?" Cicely frowns...Morphing into Buffy..."Begone, avant!...Get lost!..." she waves at him...

"Girl never knows what she wants..." he sighs to William... "At least let me get my Doublemeat Special, girl..." he frowns at Buffy...

Now her demon...he smiles at Will... "She was almost worth giving up Earth for..."

Dawn returns, tossing him a Special... "Ok..." Buffy eyes him... "Take it and vamoose...Now!..."

"Transform her and see if her demon goes to Africa for a soul for love of you..." Spike frowns to Will... "Anyway, if you ever do make it back in, don't forget to always press the upper part of her thigh just before you..." he fades out hastily as Buffy whips out Mr. Pointy...

"I love you too, Spike..." she calls...Taking a seat beside William and looking at Dawn's tray...

"Where's mine?..." she eyes Dawn...Geesh...Dawn rolls her eyes but gets up...

"So the least you could do..." Will paused as Buffy munched away at her Doublemeat Special as they sat at what appeared to be the surprisingly intact food court of the destroyed Sunnydale Mall... "Ya wan' Dawnie ta get 'nuther?..." she managed to get out between bites...Ya what I am here for but to fetch burgers...Dawn in her seat frowning as she sucked on the straw of her diet Coke...

"If you wouldn't mind...?" he eyed her as she continued to wolf down the sandwich... "Could you possibly slow down a mo and answer my question?...Is this Hell?..."

Unless of course you're the First...he sighed... "In which case I suppose you'll just keep things rollin'..." She stopped and looked at him carefully, wiping her mouth...Sorry... "It's been a busy night of a busy year and I was starved..." she reached for her diet Coke and sipped quickly...Coughing and gagging a bit...

"Hell?...Hell no, babe..." she grinned... "And I am not the First...Though naturally I'd lie if I were...But you could just play on her vanity...Remind me there's no victory if you don't know who she is and how she got ya...Honest, Will..." she sighed at his hard stare...

All I know is...I'm Buffy... "And Cicely..." she morphed again to Cicely... "I came to save you from the Partners and Death and everything Evil...And you're here with me...Where you belong..."

And these burgers are damned good...she grinned at the sandwich left in her hand...Which gave a brief wave... "Thankya, thankya all very, very much..."

Except for the fact they move and talk sometimes...she, now back to Buffy form, grimaced and put the last piece on her plate...

"If this isn't Hell?..." he eyed her... "God knows, love...Maybe you just have one terrific imagination..." she patted the empty socket of his wounded shoulder... "Just remember...I love you..." she smiled at his clouded face warmly... "I do, William..."

Try and let that be enough for now...Please...she looked at him, taking his remaining hand in hers...

Geesh...Dawn glared from her seat... "I sure as hell wouldn't be satisfied with that...Given how lame your Ily was back at the crater..."

Iloveyou...Bye...Gotta get to a mall...she sneered at her frowning sis...

"Where was the big 'I won't leave you...I won't go unless you come...' rescue and/or mutual death scene...?" Dawn eyed her sis coldly...William watching both...

World to save...Buffy somewhat sheepishly noted... "Friends and fam not to be embarrassed in front of, ya mean..." Dawn frowned... "Well how's about the lover's resurrection?...He was killed mystically...Or the seance to reach the lover's lost soul?...Hell, even a 'hope the hands are doing better' card after Andy got back...?"

Ummn... "Well...Willow didn't think Osiris was up for another revival of their acquaintance...I didn't have a chance to get the knack of the seance thing...I bought one, but I left it somewhere and couldn't remember if I mailed it or not..." Ummn...Hey..."You sure didn't help him when he got the soul back..." Buffy tried...

"Pursuing a relationship woulda been too hard with you pulling your little 'it's all just about the sex but it's ok for us to meet on the sly' crap..." Dawn frowned... "And you had your eye on me over Spike, admit it, sis..."

Just like with RJ...You done stole my man...er Unman...Dawn rose from her chair...Patrons around their table leaping out of their seats to clear the area...Buffy rose, a grim look on her face as she gazed at Dawn...

"Girls...I just want some simple, clear words as to what is really going..."

Keep outta the way, William... Buffy shook her head... "Hard to get in the way in my present, love..." he sighed...Shaking the empty shoulder and thigh socket...

"Alright, bitch!...This is where we settle things once and for all!..." Dawn coldly noted to her sis, now about ten feet off... "You got that right..." Buffy nodded...And whipped ole Mr. Pointy out...

Only to struck in the chest by Dawn's faster-thrown stake...Ha!... "I made a bullseye..." she beamed...Looking at the bull's eye now pinned by the stake to Buffy's chest... "Excuse me..." a Wendys' burger called from where its consumer had abandoned it on a table... "Could I have my eye...And any other various former body parts you might spot around...Back, please?..."

"Sure..." Buffy pulled out the stake and removing the eye from it, tossed it over...Noting a rather heavy gush of blood from her chest, she collapsed...

"Well...That settles that..." Dawn resumed her seat..."Anyway, I'm the best part of her for you...The loving, untrammeled heart..." she beamed...

And assumed Buffy form, the body on the ground vanishing... "So much for the Slayer..." she sighed happily...

"Buffy?...Please...Just..."

Shhh...she put a finger to her lips... "They'll hear you and we'll be dragged back..." She moved closer to him and kissed him... "Stay here...I can make this a wonderful place for us...We'll find a nice home...With or without picket fence...Consult the world's leading fertility experts...And I'm sure we can find some good prosthetic limbs for you..."

"Love, where is here?..." "Who cares, long as we're together...But not too loud or..." He vanished... "William!..."

"Well...Mr. Walthrop!...Welcome!...To Information Retrieval!..." the officious, aggressively hearty man suddenly beside the dazed William, again in suit...Though more of a twentieth-century, fiftiesish style...Boomed, clapping him hard on the back while throwing open with a grim-looking door bearing remarkable resemblance to the chamber doors of a submarine... "Yes... Level Six/Z, Room B-51a...Your very own office!...With your very own desk!...And over here..." he banged on another identical door from behind which muffled sounds were heard...

"Your colleague...Ms. Summers... MS. SUMMERS!..." he banged again...The door was unsealed and opened, somewhat reluctantly... "I don't have any more chairs!...Just the one I'm sitting..." Buffy's voice...Will stumbling to try and peer inside, past his hearty guide's large frame... "Oh...Sir..." her voice was subdued... "I'm nearly finished, sure to be done by closing..."

"Fine, fine Summers!...Come out and meet your new neighbor and colleague, Mr..." he snapped fingers...An aide whispered in his ear... "Walthrop...Yes...Mr. William S. Walthrop, our latest recruit in our war against the Evil threatening our beloved land!..."

"Yes, Mr. Giles..." she came out, staring...Large spectacles on her rather emaciated face...Buffy...But a worn-down, over-thin Buffy, with mousey brown hair and...My God...Will blinked...

She's in tweed...

"Buffy?..." he gasped... "What the hell...?"

"William...?" she stared...

"Ah..." Giles nodded...For indeed Will realized it was Giles...If Rupert Giles had taken on fifty pounds of muscle and bone, dispensed with the glasses, and developed the manners of a British George Bush... "I see you know each other...Excellent...Well, I shall leave you to the care of Ms. Summers, Walthrop!..." a vigorous hand-shaking... "I'm sure you'll make us all proud...Call on me anytime for anything..." he wheeled on his heel and was gone before Will had managed to put his hand back down after release...

Phew...Both missing limbs again restored, he now noted with relief...

"William?...What are you doing here?..." Buffy stared at him through her thick glasses...

"I've not the slightest..." he sighed... "And I sure wish you could manage to give me some clue..."

"Your mother, right?...She got you in..." a frown...Unless...A hopeful look... "You didn't come to help me, did you?...You changed your mind and decided..." she paused, eyeing him...

"Decided...?" he stared back, waiting... "The revolution..." she hissed, pulling him inside... "We're nearly ready to overturn Minister Giles and his oppressive government...Starting with the Ministry of Inf..." she stopped... "You didn't come to help me?..." a narrow look... "You're here to expose me?...Oh, I shoulda known..."

Now I'll have to kill you...Geesh...she sighed...And we had such a nice time at my mother's party...

He put up his hands... "Buffy...I've no idea what's going on here...I've just arrived...But if it's any comfort, I will gladly help you...If you'd just explain what's going on..."

"What?...I told you when we slipped outta the party together...Well, without details, of course...You said you'd do anything for me, even buck our oppressive Big Brother system...Course I figured you were just tryin' to get back into my...Ummn...Get close to me again..."

I shoulda known...she frowned... "I keep fallin' for you agents...That Angel, now you..."

At least that Riley was up front about being a loyal soldier and all...Even if he had the morals and intelligence of a fence post...

She grabbed him suddenly before he could get another word out...

"So...You want it quick?...A neck snap?...I can do that..."

"Buffy..." he gasped out... "I'm...telling ya...I'll do...whatever...you...want...But just..."

"Really?..." she eyed his blueing face, relaxing her choke hold slightly...

"Yes...Just...Let...Me..." Oh, sure...Sorry...she relaxed the hold a bit more...Letting him take the one chair...

"I just need to know what's going on..."

"Oppression, William!..." she pronounced...Ummn...She looked round the tiny office... "It's supposed to be scan-proof in here and I disabled the bug they put in every office but still..." she whispered...

"Anyway..." she continued in the whisper... "It's about oppression, injustice!...The subjugation of the individual to the State!...The awful clothes..." she looked down at her tweed suit and skirt...

"And we're here in the very bowels of the Evil State...At last..." she waved to indicate the office and the building beyond... "The infamous Department of Information Retrieval...Headed by one Rupert Giles...Bureaucratic fiend seeking to crush all hope of liberty and freedom!..." her voice rose...Ummn...

"Gotta watch it...But what are you doin' here?...Are you with us?...Or..." she tensed...

"Alright...Look, pet..." he sighed... "I've played along with this nonsense so far...But I want some sensible answers and no more of this illusion/fantasy/holodeck 2 business...If this is Hell, say so and bring on my punishment...If not, tell whoever runs the place I wanna speak to her or him, now..."

"Are you feelin' alright?..." she stared at him... "No, though as I'm probably dead or being eaten by something horrible right now, I shouldn't think it's too hard to understand why..."

But at least I've got the ole limbs back...he noted...Uh-huh...Buffy looked at him...Yeah...

"You think I'm crazy?...Me?..." he frowned...

Oh, no...Not at all...she backed away a bit...Eyes flicking to her desk and the plain, black telephone on her desk...

Ok...He sighed again, giving up for now... "I'm sorry...I'm a little bit off my nut today...Tell me about how we met and this revolt...You're revolting against ole Giles?..."

"We met when you caught me tryin' to plant a bomb under Mr. Giles' car when he came to visit your mom...Though our moms know each other from way back when..." she looked at the phone again, obviously considering...

"I'm not crazy, Buffy...Just confused...Go on, please..."

"My bomb kinda fizzled out...You were gonna call the cops, turn me in but..." she grinned... "Just one look...and..."

"As usual..." he sighed... Huh?... "Nothing...Go on..."

"Well...I liked you too..." a beam as she pushed her glasses up to see him better... "Even if your mom is in tight with Minister Giles and the government..."

My mum?... "She's alive?...I mean alive, alive...Not Undead alive...?"

Unwhat?...she blinked... "Forget it...So I take it you are not the Slayer here?..."

"Course I'm the Slayer..." she glared... "Champion of the revolutionary movement, destroyer of the oppressors...They also call me 'the Law', did I ever tell ya?..." she beamed... "Sorta a nickname besides my 'Slayer' title...Cause I dispense Justice...Swiftly..."

And am about to do so here...a grim tone...

"I see...And what did you want me to do?...Suicide bomb the place?..."

Actually...I didn't know you were really gonna come...she shook her head...Then smiled fondly...

"But I hoped you would keep your word and come...Sos as we could die together..."

Die, eh?...he eyed her skinny frame and exhausted-looking face...The drab outfit, made worse by her dull, limp brown hair...The light in her eyes however compensating somewhat...

Great...And that light is not for me but for some idiotic revolution...he shook his head...Well...

Hmmn...She did say...Together...

"Together?...You want us to die together?..."

One must be ready to grasp at any potential improvement in one's situation...he reflected...

And dying together...Gotta be some improvement...

"Sure...If you really wanna..." she nodded, biting a lip... "Ya don't have to, ya know..." ...

"Oh, it's fine...I'm sure it's why I came..." "Great..." she beamed... "I knew when I saw you with Giles it was only a ruse to get in here and help me...Oh, William..." she hugged him...

Wish we had time for sex again...she noted wistfully as she moved to her desk and began pulling out various small items from a drawer...Which looked rather unoffensive...A marker, a battered stapler...A cell phone...Ah... "Here it is...The detonation control...Just gotta press the talk key now and the place goes up...I was just waitin' to see if Giles would be here today..."

And hopin' you'd show, William...she beamed happily...Ah, great...he nodded absently...Wait?...

"We've had sex...You said that..."

"Coupla of times...When we met over the past few weeks..." her face fell a bit...

"You don't remember?..."

"Of course, yes...Certainly...It was lovely...Earth-shattering..." he hastily noted...

Aw...she smiled... "Well, business first..." she picked up the cell phone... "Then, in the afterlife...Whatever and wherever it may be..."

"I'm fairly sure we'll find there is one...Just hope the next world or whatever is a little less confusin'..."

"For the Revolution!..." she raised the phone... A sound from above them...And a large section of the floor fell beside them... No!...Buffy raced for the door as several large goons in body armor dropped down...The door opening to reveal more goons and several suited types outside in the hall...

"So...The mighty Slayer!...Bright star of the terrorist movement...Taken at last!..." a voice rang out...

Angel?...William stared... "Will?..." Angel, in doctor's smock stared into the room... "Don't tell me you've hooked up with this psycho murderess?..."

"Or rather, please...For ole times' sake, don't say anything!..." he hissed anxiously, taking a stern pose immediately after... "Traitors!...Spies!...Terrorists!...Seize them..."

And to think I slept with him once...Buffy sighed to Will... "Stay behind me, William..." she waved him back... "I'm the Slayer and I'll deal!...I..." Two goons grabbed her and she was pinned, struggling feebly as her glasses fell off...A third striking her as she screamed...

"Not too rough...Yet..." Angel called...

So...No Slayer strength in this corner of Hell or whatever...Will sighed...Trying to brace for a rush on the closest police trooper holding her...Smashed to the ground by a truncheon before he could move a step...

"William!..." she cried...Tossing back the guards and rushing to him... "C'mon, babe..." she lifted him... "Sorry...Had to hold back a..." she hissed, pausing as several guards at the door unlimbered machine guns...

"Ahhhhhh...Gannngwaaayyy!..." she yelled, charging and breaking through the group at the door before they could open fire, William safely tucked under one arm...

Angel wisely pulling back to one side and letting her pass... "Get them!...Shoot!..." he then called to the guards beside him...A couple of whom, less dazed than the others, beginning to fire...With a leap, Buffy grabbing the metal mesh of the next floor's catwalk and clambering over the metal railing up on to it, Will holding on to her for dear life as bullets whizzed...

"Shoot!..." Angel pointed...But now, sounds from all over the upper storeys of the building...Shouts of triumph, machine gun fire...

"Sounds like my fellow Slayers made it!..." Buffy grinned to Will, now beside her on the catwalk, dodging bullets...

A horde of young women now burst onto the catwalk from several doors...Cheering and returning the fire of Angel's guards in overwhelming force...

Angel quickly finding himself isolated, surrounded by dead guards... Holding raised hands... "I...Sur..."

"I don't accept..." Buffy called back...The other 'Slayers' firing into him...Reducing him to a bloody mess...

Hmmn...So he was human here?...Will noted, eyeing the remains...

Huh?...Buffy stared... "Not a vampire I mean...Human-souled or otherwise..."

She eyed him as her comrades raced down to take on troops moving up from lower levels... "Vampire?..."

I mean...Everybody knows Liam Angelus, 'Angel'...Was a monster...But...Vampire?...she stared...

"Never mind..." he waved a hand... "C'mon...We can go now, the battle's just about won..." she grinned...

"Come on, William..." her voice called him...He started a moment... "William!...Darling!..." her voice was all around him...Then just Buffy nudging him... C'mon...She led him to the nearest window on the floor in a small open office, just a hair larger than hers... "Supervisor's office for this floor...They rate a window..." she frowned...Then brightened... "Good luck for us though...Hang on, babe..." she grabbed at him, putting his hands round her waist...And charged for the window...

Buffy?...he stared...Then winced quickly as they ran into and smashed through and out of the window...Into open air...

Several hundred feet in the air...

"So I assume we're still on for the 'dying together' bit?..." he called to her...Opening his eyes again in time to see no visible support beneath them...

Several hundred feet above the ground...

"Buffy?..." "Yeah..."

"Why aren't we...Falling...?" A giggle...He looked up as he noted a dark shadow passing repeatedly over him...Giant wings flapping, he saw...Attached to a metallic suit which she now wore... "Where did you get...?" he stared... "Just hold tight, babe..." she grinned down at him, holding him firmly in her arms as they soared over the streets...Heading for the sunset...

God, tell me this is Heaven and it's not gonna go...Poof...he thought...Smiling up at her beaming face...Her face and hair now the Buffy he remembered...

"Sir..." A tall figure in doctor's smock wearing a hideous kewpie doll's mask turned to the same hearty-looking Giles who'd introduced William to Information Retrieval...Now himself engaged in rather bemusedly looking over the bloodied faces of Buffy and William, taken at the Ministry itself...Much to his sorrow and embarrassment...But fortunately just before the fiendish terrorist would have immolated herself and her deluded, obviously love-besotted follower...Alas for his poor, dear mother...Destroying a precious government resource...

"I fear I might have been a tad rough...But I swear to sir I followed procedure to the letter..." Angel anxiously awaited Minister Giles' completion of the inspection of the two prisoners...One a personal concern, the other a government prize... "No, Liam..." Giles shook his head... "I reviewed the tapes of your session with them...You were totally within the new parameters for interrogation..." Angel pulled the kewpie doll mask from his face... "Didn't think they'd both go so easily...I was only at level one..."

"They've got away from us, Liam..." Giles noted...Staring at Buffy's blank eyes...Then William's "I'm afraid so, Mr. Giles..." Angel sighed... "Well...Life is filled with disappointments...We'll get something out of the next bunch..." Giles patted his companion kindly...

"See they're cleaned up and I'll arrange places in the first available institution...I think the government would best forego a trial...His dear mother will prefer that, I'm sure..."

"Certainly, Mr. Giles..." Angel nodded as they strolled out of the chamber, leaving the two staring off, totally withdrawn...But for the hands clenched in each other's vise grip...

Ah, crap...William looked round...Back at the Sunnydale Mall...Buffy and Dawn in their respective seats...Buffy eyeing him, a bit anxious... "You drifted off there, Will...You ok?..."

"I'm in some corner of Hell after trying to again save the world and I'm missing..." Well, no...He noted his severed limbs again had been restored...Thank the PTBs for small mercies... "No, I am not ok, Summers...If you are Summers..."

"Well...We're together...And you sure as Hell don't deserve Hell...So..." she patted him... "I know..." he sighed... "I should let our being together suffice and ask no questions...But Buffy...You know you've...You and Cicely...Treated me rather badly all these years...Have you considered that this might be your Hell?..."

Ummn...Buffy and Dawn looked at each other...My...?

Never know, sis...Dawn nodded carefully...

"I tried to save you as Cicely...I only did what I had to do as Buffy...Spike might have been tryin' to deceive me, mess with my head and get me to care for him, trust him...Then..." Buffy nervously noted...Flicking to Cicely briefly at the start, then back to Buffy...

"Cicely could've warned me...Been up front back then with me or avoided romancing a weak human entirely...And you used me, Summers...As you yourself admitted..."

Spike liked the sex...she tried sheepishly...

Buffy...Dawn rolled her eyes...

"I wasn't an independent soul, I couldn't make choices of my own free will...I was possessed by a demon...And you knew that..."

"I needed help...I needed you..."

"You needed help?...If the roles were reversed...If Will the Vampire Slayer had played Buffy the Vamp...Or maybe poor Dru...That way...?"

She morphed into a vicious-looking version of herself...Buffy the Bloody, century old vampire, victim of Drusilla...William now in modern suit, brown hair...Stake on the table next to him...Dawn faded out...

"Can't you see I truly love you, Slayer..." she noted... "There's gotta be more than just sex here, more than just the effect of the damned chip in my brain...William...I love you..."

Besides...she noted with a slight sneer... "Where was our dear cursed soul, fallen nun, your ex-vamp lover Drusilla when you needed her?...Off in LA, in 'her' city, seeking her redemption without a thought for your plight here when Willow resurrected you after Glory and all..."

"I can't love a demon, Buffy...You want me dead and transformed, that's all..."

"Can't love, eh...But you sure can fuck one, right?..." she glared...Then sighed..."Please, William...Slayer, I just wanta help you...You know I'd do anything to prove myself...Anything for you..."

Please...she pleaded...Taking a hand which he pulled away... "It's over, Elizabeth...I'm sorry..." he eyed her carefully... "Good luck fending for yourself as a chipped vampire...I really can't waste time trying to help you, you know..."

And a ton of thanks for the sex and fighting support...It really helped this past year...

She stared at him as he rose...

"Well?...See what I mean..." Will eyed Buffy, both back to their former selves... "Not so pleasant when you're the tormented one on the receiving end, eh?..."

Point there, sis...Dawn noted from her chair... "Shut up..." Buffy glared...

"Elizabeth?..." she asked him... "You were an 1880's transformation, Elizabeth would have been more likely your real name then..." he noted...

'Buffy' not really being in vogue...

Ok...she sighed... "You gotta point...But...

"Did Angelus ever offer his existence so you and Angel could be together?...You gave me a chance to prove myself...Fine and I'm grateful...But the bottom line is Ms. Summers...I never needed to prove myself or redeem myself...I am a good man, who met with a terrible fate...And in the end, I proved that...And with rather pitiful help, freed myself...That is my story..."

And so...He eyed her... Maybe I'm not the candidate for Hell here...

Ummn...

"William...!" Buffy's disembodied voice flooded the food court...She, Dawn, and William staring round now...

"You heard it too, eh?..." he looked at the sisters...

Hell, even I heard it...Spike's head appeared in the center of their table... "Spike!..." Buffy glared... "Goin', goin'...The goddamn thanks I get..." the head muttered, fading out...

Hah!...Buffy looked back at Will... "If that's me calling you, then this is your whatever, not mine..."

Unless...she paused...And blinking...Found herself in a dank alleyway...Dead or dying demons surrounding her, groaning wounded ones a little further off...Along with a scattered handful of likewise dead or badly wounded Slayers...A few relatively intact-looking demons now fleeing past her in clear panicky rout...She turned to them as the last raced past her, then stumbled, groaning in agony from she saw immediately were severe wounds... "William!..." she cried out...

"Buffy!..." she recognized Dawn's voice... "Where is he?..." she called to her... "No sign yet!...But the rest of the Partners are falling back to their portal!..." she saw Dawn hurrying towards her, Willow in close support...Maintaining some kind of force shield about them...

"Buffy!...We've gotta fall back ourselves!...We've lost too many of us and I can't keep this field up much longer!..." Willow cried...

"Not without William!..." she shook her head, turning to try and peer into the dark of the alley...Where she knew now she'd been headed, seeking... "Buffy..." Dawn came up to her... "We can't stay...We've done all we can...The Partners are regrouping and getting more help up from Hell...Angel and the blue lady are too badly injured to help...He's a survivor, sis...He'll find a way...Like you and he always do..."

"I won't leave him here...Not again!..." she pulled away, Willow now up to them, clearly running on empty, mystic powerwise...Her shield begin to flicker... "Look!..." Dawn pointed up the main street that the alley entered...To where the battered demon force was beginning to rally and collect itself...The few uninjured Slayers of the small scratch force assembled now attempting to disengage and fall back down the street... "Buffy, we're out of time...He wouldn't want you to die here...If he's still in one piece, he'll find you..."

"Buffy...We've gotta get these girls outta here before it's too late..." Willow chimed in...

"Get them back to the cars, Wil...You too, Dawn..." she told them... "I'll keep looking...And try to keep 'em off your backs..."

That's my order...she eyed their anxious faces... "I'm still Slayer Counselor General and I'm ordering you to get the other Slayers back and wait for me by the cars...Do it!..."

"Buffy, you're hurt and if you don't come with us...I'll take full advantage of that..." Dawn replied...Turning to Willow...Who sighed, shaking her head...Sorry, didn't keep anything in reserve for mind-control or teleportation...Buffy smiling a bit wanly...Dawn...

"You'd've made one bang-up Slayer, sis..." she patted her... "But injured or no, without Wil here to make me go, you ain't takin' this Slayer anywheres...Now get the others outta here and wait for me...I'll be along...With whatever's left of William..."

Now...she eyed them coldly...Willow's shield flickering rapidly now...Oh-oh...the wiccan sighed...

"You can't abandon the others, Buffy..." Dawn tried desperately... "You're still their leader as you said..."

"By the power or whatever invested in me I appoint Willow's babe Kennedy, Slayer Counselor General...And as she's still abed back home in Long Island, NY...I doubt she'll be by to make objections as to my stayin on here in a private capacity..."

"Willow?..." Dawn tried again...But before she could turn back, the Slayer had vanished off into the dark of the larger street...Towards where the demon force was regathering...

"No, Dawn!...I can't protect you now!..." Willow grabbed at her...Pulling her back... "We can't go on, we've gotta get the injured girls out..."

Buffy...She sighed... "Buffy will find a way...C'mon..." she pulled Dawn back along the street in the opposite direction...

"William!..." they heard her cry... "William, I'm here!..."

"Well, well...Buffy..." a suave voice from the shadows of a building floated out to her...

You...The Slayer halted, turning... "Nice of you not to forget me...After all, what was it?..Three hours ago that you dumped me?..." the voice continued...

"So...Giles was right...You were in league with these bastards..." she glared at the handsome figure now moving down the building steps to her...

"Hmmpf..." he shrugged... "I side with no one...Merely take the path most likely to end in my own survival...And success in the world and its affairs...Maintaining contacts with the Senior Partners was simply a precaution..."

As was our little romance...he grinned... "Though I want you to know I throughly enjoyed every minute...Until the final act..." his voice cooled, face clouded...

"Nobody ever do that to 'His Benevolence' before?..." Buffy eyed him... "Well, there's a first time for everything...And developing a sense of humility is good for the soul, I hear..."

Oh, right...You never bothered to get one back...she eyed him...Then waved a hand... "Enough already...Tell your bosses I'll let em retreat to Hell, alive...If they show me where William..." she gulped as he eyed her coldly... "Where William is..."

"Unless you've suddenly developed a flicker of character and want to die fighting with your buds back there..." she pointed down the street...

"Hardly my... 'Friends', dear..." he smiled... "And as for bosses...You should know the Immortal is his own Master..."

She waved him off, and moved on down the street, he following after a moment... "They're reforming down there, Slayer..." he noted... "More coming by the moment...You're unsupported and even you can't fight them all..."

"Not here to fight 'em all...I tole ya..." she muttered and continued on, peering carefully around into the doorways of the buildings they passed... "Will?..." she called... "I'm here, honey...Oh, come on, Will...Please..."

"He's..." "If you say he's dead...You're no longer 'the Immortal'..." she glared at him...He put up a languid hand, smiling pleasantly...Only the eyes cold...

"Don't be upset with me, Slayer...I've only been trying to help you...You were appreciative enough of my efforts after our first days together..."

She gave him a grim but brief stare, then went back to searching without a word...Looking down an alley where two figures lay...Dead demons...She moved into it...

"There's no time, Buffy...You must leave..." the Immortal hissed... "I'm offering you..." She whirled on him... "You're offering a chance to get out, eh?..." she moved on him...Grabbing him...

"So...You have that much pull with the guys down there?...And I thought you were just their pretty boy, sent to romance me and keep me away from LA..."

Hardly...he smiled in her grip... "Though I did regard you as the most dangerous of my three chief enemies...And felt it was best to deal with you personally...In my own way..." he threw her back...

"Pity you couldn't've been content with me...I'd serious hopes for you...As did my associate...The First..." he leered...

Though my...subordinates, the Partners...Did feel it was best to destroy you at the first opportunity...he eyed her...

" 'Fraid so, Buffy...I am their leader..." he grinned at her staring face... "Though I prefer to maintain an image of impartially towards both sides of the fight..."

"Great..." she tensed... "Then as their boss...And someone who likes his...Pretty dumb in a world with thousands of immortal demons and such hangin' round... 'Immortal' monicker...Tell your people to stand down...And bring Will to me intact..."

"Slayer...Just because I took the romantic route with you doesn't mean I can't fight you if I must...But I prefer not to end it this way...I hate having to terminate relationships harshly..."

After all...he smiled... "It's not like I used spells or drugs or even thrall on you...You accepted me voluntarily..."

"Oh, sure..." she nodded... "I was heartbroken, guilt-ridden, lonely...You come along, with the phony desire for atonement and all...You were a rather poor substitute for William, but hey, I thought he was gone at first...And then, that he'd grown to hate me..."

A slightly dark look... "I see...Nonetheless...I accomplished my purpose...You stayed away from him and Angel...Until it was too late..."

"If he were dead...You'd simply gloat and be done with it...You're tryin' to keep me from reachin' him..." she shrugged... "But if you don't wanta cooperate, or can't, fine...I'll kill you later, that's a promise..." she moved off...

"Hey...Buffy..." the First appeared in front of her, in her form... "Missed you all these months, sister..." a harsh leer...

"Yeah?...That anxious for us to whip your ass again?..." Buffy walked straight on, passing through her...

"He's dead..." the First cooed after her... "And died hating you..."

"His soul's alive no matter what...Though I think it's safe to say you're lyin'..." Buffy called back without looking back...

"Which half of us would that liar be?...Sis?..." the First sneered, now in front of her again...Buffy passing through her again without a word...Hey...

Leastways pay attention when the First is tryin' to psych you out here...her insubstantial twin fumed...

('Fraid the incorporeal don't get no respect, lass...a ghostly William watching the scene smiled at her... "Bug off, loser..." she glared at him... "And no, I ain't gonna tell you where you are..." "Sounds hopeful...And it could still be her fantasy, not mine..." he grinned...Nnnnn...she growled...)

"I tole you you should have killed or transformed her..." the First hissed to the Immortal as he slowly followed the searching Buffy...Two wounded Slayers stumbling past them... "Back to the cars, girls!..." Buffy called to them, pointing back...

"I do things my own way...And I'd say I've been a bit more successful than you, my dear..." he eyed her...The First glaring... "You promised me we'd have her ready to accept me...That whole foolish scheme was your dumb idea...Play on her guilt and get her to accept you...Then corrupt her...Please...A flat failure..."

"Not at all...She's on the brink of despair...She's let him down again...We just have to..."

A cry from Buffy...He grinned at the First... "Shall we pay our condolences...?"

"For all this 'Immortal' crap and your refusal to risk your existence fighting with the Light side, you've quite a death wish, don't ya?..." the false Buffy eyed him...

They found her knelt beside him, holding him gently... Will, I'm here...she whispered...He opened blood-filled eyes...

"Winifred...?" he gasped...She staring as the Immortal beamed at the First...

Whoa...Buffy eyed William, both back again in their seats at the Mall...That was...

"As I said...This could be your Hell, not mine..." he nodded...

"William?..." Buffy in white half spacesuit-half Jedi Knight-like outfit shared...Light saber in her hand...

"I get along without you very well...Of course, I do...'cept when soft rains fall...

And drip from leaves then I recall...The thrill of bein' sheltered...In your arms...

Of course, I do...But I get along without you very well...

I've forgotten you...Just like I should..." Spike in duster, light saber in hand, sang, then glared at her...

"Strike him down, Buffy...And let me take my place within you..." a tall, cloaked figure hissed...

"I'll never...Never join with you..." she stared at the figure...

"Father..." she eyed him...As the figure pulled back his hood to reveal a frowning Hank Summers...Who now morphed into her own form...

"Sired by the First...Now I know why you were the best of the Slayer lot..." Spike grinned at her...

"William..." she turned to him... "There is good in you, I've always sensed it..."

Your heart betrays you...

"Really..." he swung his light saber up suddenly, powered on...And slashed at her, just missing as she lept back...

"And there is evil in you, Summers...Your Father's side betrays you, girl..." he smiled coldly...Light saber extended at her...As she kept hers at him...The First back to Hank form smirking evilly as he watched...

"And if you're too strong to cave to it..." Spike told her coldly... "There's always your lil' mystic clone..."

"No!..." she rushed at him...Saber lasers meeting in mid-air between them...

No!...she pulled back...And threw her saber aside...

Hmmn...Hank stared...Shrugging...

"Ok, kill her my son...In-law...Sorta..." he eyed Spike...Who hesitated, staring at Buffy...

Hank sighed...Oh, all right... He resumed Buffy form...

"Kill her and ...Yadda...yadda...yadda...You got me as your very own Buffy for all eternity..."

Hmmn...Spike pondered...Buffy watching him from where she stood, a pleading look on her face...William...

"Mate..." he frowned at the First... "First of all...I ain't into hermaphrodites, transsexuals, or whatever in God's name you are..."

And second...I can't screw an incorporeal essence...

Well...Buffy sighed...Not exactly the noble sort of declaration of love and redemption I was kinda hopin' for...

But hey...she beamed as he plunged his laser into the First's screaming form...As she did with hers...

Fire and burning ooze all around him...Even to his eyes, into them...No pain, oddly enough, he notes...

"William...William, come on darling..." Buffy reaches a ghostly hand...

"What the hell's been going..." he eyes her, surprised to find he still can see...She shimmering in pale light...He looks at his burning, dissolving hand...Now beginning to glow like hers...

Wait...He looks round... "This is the Hellmouth entrance...Where I dissolved..." he looks at his dissolving flesh... "...before...Last year..."

Don't tell I'm in Hell and hafta go through this again...he sighs...Nah...The shimmering Buffy shakes her head...

"We're still at the crater in Sunnydale, Will...It's only been a moment..." she smiles... "All the rest was a dream before waking...To Eternity...Come on, my love...It's time to go home..."

But you... he stares... "Well, you don't look like the First...But..."

"Willow just asked me what I wanted to do back outside there, now that I'm no longer the chosen One...And what I wanted was to be with you..." she beams... "So I jumped off the edge of the crater and here I am..."

Thank you for forgiving me...At the poetry slam?...she eyes him... And I was so proud of the way you endured that phony year...And this last bit...I knew the First would lose that one too...

Trying to use your despair...And that part of you that was Spike...To drag your soul down in the microseconds before you died again...Her last chance at vengeance on us...she explains...Had my own session with her, all to do with Cicely, your death, and my own demon, tell ya 'bout it in Heaven...

"You...William and Spike...Really came through...For all of us..." she smiles...

"Cicely?..." he breathes...Or rather, gives a good approximation thereof...As the remains of his physical body burn away, leaving him likewise shimmering...

"That's me, babe..." she nods... "Sorry reincarnation isn't the most efficient way to hook-up with your beloved..." she sighs... "But I am here...I did come for you, in spite of all the things that got in the way...And there'll be no more nonsense about Cicely protecting you from Death or Buffy dodging her feelings for what might have been Spike's manipulative fiend's game now, I promise..."

Anyway we did have quite an interesting time the last century, eh love?...she grins...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXIV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Two days after the defeat of the Senior Partners at LA...

The sub-sub-sub-basement occult storage vaults of Wolfram-Hart, Inc...Home to the firm's occult secrets...

"This system of cataloging seems quite disorganized for a firm that prided itself on its evil organization..." Illyria, in Fred form, sniffed, pawing through a file cabinet of material deemed too unstable or valuable to be put on computer... "Hmmn...One spell for enhancing the beauty of old wood...I thought this stuff was supposed to be dangerous or valuable... 'Side effects may include nausea or vomiting, may cause burning or itching'?..." she peered at the old parchment...Ah, 'old world...demons'...This is a spell for making demons from a certain dimension appear human..."

"Ok... "Angel sighed... "Just keep going...We're losing the building to the Feds tomorrow when they move in to seize all assets and begin their investigations into the Partners' less supernatural shenanigans...We've gotta get everything of potential use and destroy everything too dangerous to let fall into anybody's hands..."

"I know Charlie's gonna be in the hospital for another week at least, but I don't see why William couldn't've come...We could use another pair of hands and eyes here..." she frowned...

"He wanted to keep an eye on the baby...Somebody has to...And he's more or less taken charge there..."

"He could've brought it...And he did agree to become our partner in the new firm..."

"When we start the new firm...If we can manage to start the new firm, given this Federal investigation..."

"I love babies...He should let me take it..." Angel stared at her...What?...She frowned at him...

"Winifred...I think he likes taking care..." Angel paused...Illyria smiling rather warmly...Thanks...she beamed...

"For forgetting again...I like that...Though...It's not hurting you a lot, is it?...Cause I'll do blue if it hurts too much?..."

"It's fine..." he waved a hand... "I'm glad to have even a little of her back...And it's a kind thing to do for her parents, to try and be Fred for them..."

"Wesley would want it..." she said simply... He smiled at her a second... "And appreciates it, I'm sure..." he nodded...

Nina wandered into the vault room with another stack of files taken from an identical, though less packed vault, and set them down on the table where Illyria and Angel were hard at it... "That's the last from the other vault..."

"Thanks, honey..." Angel beamed at her...

"No problem, sweetie..." she patted his shoulder...Eyeing the folder Illyria was opening... "Say, isn't that about that Immortal guy?..." she noted the folder tag...

"Yeah...Ummn...Hmmphf..." Illyria gasped, then to her companions' surprise began laughing...In very Fredian mode...

What?...Angel blinked at her...She handed the file over...He scanned the pages within...

"Well?..." Nina came and looked over his shoulder...He was chuckling now...

"Oh my God..." she started laughing...

"I never would've believed Andrew Wells had that good a sense of humor..." Angel was now laughing heartily... "When William gets a load of this...Apart from being on the first plane back to Rome..."

His cell phone rang...

"Buffy?..." he blinked at the phone as the other two eyed each other... "What's...?"

"Yeah, we're fine...Thanks for sending those Slayers...At the last minute they really...Yeah, William's fine...Though I think he was a little disappointed not to see you there...Oh?...Just the other day?...Andrew kept it that well?..."

What...?

You're where?...

The others eyed him...

"The..." Angel chortled a bit... "Immortal, eh?...He's going where?...Why?...You told him what?..."

Buffy...he frowned at the phone... "As Will's friend...Yes, I said friend...And grandfather of sorts...I gotta say..."

Oh...Yeah...he grinned suddenly..."I know about the Immortal..." he chuckled... "We were just reading up on it..."

Buffy...I think William can handle this...Yeah, sure...I'll give you his address...he grinned at the ladies...

"What, you couldn't keep up, following your little playmate?..." he chuckled into the phone...

The ladies looked at him as what was clearly a frosty pause ending his hee-hawing... "Sorry...But Buffy, you gotta realize...We thought His Benevolence..."

Unless of course your tastes have gone that way...he resumed chuckling...

"I wouldn't slam that phone down till you got Will's address, kiddo..." he hastily noted... "Oh, he's at home...No, not alone...No, not Dru...No, not Harmony...In fact he's enjoying a little quality time tonight with his adopted kid..."

I think I just paid her back properly for that charming 'no one trusts you anymore' remark of Andy's...he happily thought as the phone remained quiet for a full minute...

William's apartment...Same time...

"Ok now, lamb..." Will, in thoughtfully chosen baby-friendly muted-color tan t-shirt and beige slacks...His newly-acquired baby books collection having recommended such, eyed the baby lying on open Pampers diaper on his kitchen table... "We're gone get this in just a bit and then it's dinner-time...Yep...Bobba-bobba..." he pantomined a baby's bottle to his lips as the baby cooed and giggled... "That's right, kid...You, me, our respective nutrient solutions...And 'Gilmore Girls' on the telly...I'd call that one fine..."

His door was burst open... "William the Bloody?..." a stern, yet somewhat thin voice called into the room... "Prepare...To dust!..." Sounds of a sword swooshing a bit...

"Who the hell?..." he turned...The baby likewise turning on the diaper to view the intruder with an anxious stare...

"My card, monsieur..." a card was tossed at him out of the dark...He picked it up off the floor, the baby eyeing him with a somewhat worried look... "Don't sweat it, kid..." he smiled gently as he looked at the card...

"... 'The Immortal'...Lovely..." William sighed...Hmmn, he tried to peer into the dark...Rather a small fellow unless my eyes are playing...

"Now that I have introduced myself, as I have said...Prepare to dust, monsieur!...En garde!..."

"It's not enough Summers is hanging out with you, now you've come to ruin my quiet evening with the little one here..." The baby whimpered, then began to bawl a bit... "Whom you've just made cry..."

The Immortal leaped forward and paused, blinking at the baby...Who gave up sobbing to stare and then coo...

At the approximately two-and-one-half foot tall cat in boots and sporting a plumed hat, sword drawn from a small belt about its waist and in hand...

Will now staring in shock, then grinning... "You...You're the Immortal?.."

And Angelis always said Dru and Darla had no sense of humor...

"I am Henri Faucomb d'Vestigy..." the cat proudly noted... "Famed cat to the great King Henry the Fourth of France and his royal descendants...Granted both unique powers, including a human intellect, and Immortality for courage in defending my king's life against evildoers determined to bring down his tolerant reign...And now here to defend the honor of a great lady, wronged by you, sir..."

"Great lady?..." Will struggled to go through the list of potentially suitable Spike victims...

"One Ms. Buffy Summers...She whom you so callously spurned and..." the cat's eyes narrowed as he stared again at the baby... "...clearly have betrayed..."

"Now just a mo, prick-in-boots..." William frowned... "Did Summers send you here to?..."

"Ms. Summers would never lower herself to such things...But any creature of honor, committed to her service..." the cat began...

"Henri!..." a voice cried...Hmmn...Henri turned...Fur bristling a bit... "Bad cat!..." Buffy slapped a thigh... "Come away from William, now!..."

"But, ma cheri?...My Immortal defense of your Honor requires..."

"Dawn and Xander are morons...Whatever they said to you..." she glared... "Now let William be and go wait outside while I talk to him..." William noticed a large pack on her back as she turned glare to him...Henri frowning, but moving off...Pausing for a quick rub and purr at her side as she patted him and he went out...

"Call me should the dastardly fellow try anything, my dearest one...Your Puss-In-Boots is forever at your..." he called as the door closed...

"And as for you, you cowardly little blonde asshole..." She frowned at William, then eyed the baby on the table...

"Nice kid you got there...Give thanks to God it's not Dru's or..." she shuddered a bit... "Harmony's..."

"Summers...I..."

He blanched a bit as she swung the 'pack' around...A baby carrier...With a three month old baby within...Who, he immediately realized bore an unquestionable resemblance to...

"If you ask who's...You're dust, you know that..." she eyed him...Then smiled as she brought the blonde boy over...

"This'll be so neat that they're so close in age..." she beamed...Then looked around as he stared, dumbfounded...

"We are gonna need a bigger house...Picket fence and everything..."

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Los Angeles...New offices of Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop at the old Wolfram-Hart Tower...One week after the defeat of the Senior Partners...

"You Walthrop?...the Spike guy?..." the dark-sunglassed man in overcoat eyed William as he stood next to Angel's desk...Angel looking their visitor over from his chair, in proper CEO mode...Illyria watching in Fred dress from a seat on the opposite side of the desk...

"Walthrop's the name...William Soames...Spike's for old enemies and the dearest of friends..." Will grinned...

The man nodded...Looking a tad less confident as he looked at the three... "I guess you and I should talk...Having a mutual problem...That is if you're still concerned about Ms. Summers' fate..."

"I might be..." William replied coolly...The two now sizing each other up...

"I'd wonder...Considering what Mr. Giles told me in London about you leaving her alone with that...Thing..." the man gave a hard stare...

"At least I didn't let my own wife..." William began angrily..The man flushing, for the first time looking almost like a boy in what was clearly a mixture of shame and embarrassment...

"I didn't know who or what...I thought...She was just..." he began, stumbling in his words...Will shook his head, raising a hand... "I didn't understand the situation either..."

"This concerns our entire firm, sir..." Angel cut in... "Not to mention our friends at the Watchers' Council who referred you to us...If what we've been told is true, there's quite a bit a stake here besides your and William's interests, not to mention...Theirs..." he paused...Will glancing at him briefly... "I think you'd best have a seat and we'll go over this situation in detail..."

"Right..." the man nodded curtly... Illyria carefully looking him over as he sat...Trying to valiantly to repress the overwhelming Fredian thought...

God...He's as cute in real life as he was in...

"In any case, we've got to act quickly...From the information I got from the firm I hired, and what your Mr. Giles told me...Our 'friend' has been working on this for months...She sent me a letter last week saying she wasn't coming back..." the visitor put a tense hand on his chair arm...

"They may both already be..."

"Not my Buffy..." William shook his head firmly...Angel frowning a bit at the 'my Buffy'...

Rome...One week before...

Dawn looked at Buffy as they entered the apartment...The Immortal, immaculately groomed and flawlessly, darkly handsome on the Slayer's opposite side... "Buffy, what are you going to do?..."

Buffy raised a hand... "I'll deal with things, Dawn...Don't worry..."

"Are you gonna go?...There's not much time, if Giles was right..." "I'm sure Angel and his comrades will succeed...If they truly are fighting the Partners..." His Benevolence broke in from the seat on their sofa he'd taken...A cool glare from Buffy...

"Leave it to me, Dawn...I'll handle it..."

"I want to go with you, if you go..."

"I'll let you know what I decide...But no, it's too dangerous for you in any case...But if I go, for once I'll go with plenty of support..."

A frown, then a brightening...That's for sure...Dawn nodded with a faint smile... "Half the Slayer Corps was ready to get on the first plane..."

But if you're going... "Well, as Henri says...Angel...And William...Can probably deal...But I will let you know what I decide...Now, I wanna talk to Henri a moment, ok?..."

Fine...Dawn frowned again... "But you're not going without me..."

"I haven't said what I'll be doing...And you are not going, if I have to have Willow keep you in stasis till it's over..."

"We should've gone to LA months ago..." a glare... "He didn't come to Rome...I left things as I thought...He..." Buffy paused...A slightly confused look... "Maybe...We should've..." she eyed Dawn..."I don't know..." a vague shrug...Henri watching her quietly... "Anyway..." she waved a hand... "This is my decision and I'll make it myself...I'll be back in a little while...Henri?..." she looked at him and with a smile to Dawn he rose and followed her out...

In the hallway outside their apartment, Dawn having sulkingly departed for her bedroom...

"It's over, Henri...This little game of ours has ended..."

"Buffy, my dear...I sense you are disturbed...Clearly the meeting with Giles has left you a bit rattled...Calm yourself, Slayer and you'll again see where your and William's best interests lie..."

"You said if I went along with this game of yours...If I let people, my friends, think we were a couple and vouched for you with the Council...Made no move to contact him or Angel...William would be restored and you'd see your friends in LA left him alone...Safe..." she stared at him...The Immortal returning a suave smile, a languid wave of the hand... "And has he not been restored, has he not been safe all these months...?"

"The Partners are going after him and Angel...You heard Giles' report..." her eyes narrowed... "And I'm going to LA...Our deal is off as of now..."

"My friends among the Dark Powers may not like to hear that..." Henri smiled faintly... "But I don't think they'll have to worry about that...You made an arrangement with me, Slayer...And you will keep it..."

"The hell I will...You broke it when William was put in danger...Why I let this go on for so long, I don't know...If he'd come, like he should've..." she paused... "Or if I'd gone..."

Why I let this go on so long?...she whispered, a bit confused, then sternly... "Anyway...You broke the deal and I'm through with it..."

"But clearly he didn't come because he didn't trust you enough...Or has found someone else..." a cool smile... "Besides, my dear...I don't think you understand that you gave up any choice in the matter when you made our agreement...And accepted the little token of admiration and friendship I bestowed on you..." he smiled a bit more warmly at her...And the necklace on her neck, a large pearl-encrusted pendant hanging on a silver chain...Which now glowed a bit...

"So...Dearest..." he looked at her somewhat blank face... Huh?...she stared...

"Have you made a decision about going to William yet?..." "Will...iam?...Who's dat...?" she asked, her voice a bit slurred...

"William, the poor boy who died for you...So tragically last year...?" Ohhh...Him...she nodded...

"I 'member him a lil'..." she noted... "He ok, honey?..." she smiled wanly at Henri, only mildly curious...

"Your Mr. Giles says he and your old friend Angel might be in danger...You were thinking about whether to go and help them...But you decided it was best not to...Why stir up old problems, eh dear?..." he patted her... Yeah...she nodded... "Ole problems...Dat's bad..." she sighed... "Well, I think you'd like to go somewhere interesting and enjoy yourself tonight, eh my dear?...Keep the sad thoughts at bay...I'm sure your pet vampires will be fine...They're both very strong?..."

"Yeah...Dey'll be ok...Can we go somewheres nice?..." somewhat more eagerly... "I'm hungry...And I wanna have some fun..."

"Of course, Buffy...What am I here for but to make your life happy and fun?...As I have these past months, haven't I?...But lets go now and not let your sister or anyone hinder our...Fun...With sad and troubling things that are of no importance to your new life with me..."

Yeah...she nodded, contentedly...As he offered an arm...

"You decided it was best not to go...Remember that, alright dear...?" Yeah...I 'cided dat...she nodded...

"Of course, tomorrow...You may regret that decision as you did an earlier one...Terribly...But well...ma cheri...Very soon...After a few more exposures...It won't matter to you...And after all..."

Tomorrow is another day...Correct?...he grinned...Giving her a quick kiss...

Uh-huh...she nodded...Tamorrow's 'nother day...Yeah...And kissed him back...

On the sidewalk a tall and lovely if somewhat blank-faced woman sunglasses, hat, and nondescript coat somewhat hiding her features, awaited them...A necklace identical to Buffy's briefly visible through the open part of her coat as she turned to them...

"Ah...My dear...Thank you for waiting so patiently..." the Immortal smiled at the woman...Who gave a vague smile...

"Buffy Summers, world-saving Vampire Slayer..." the Immortal smiled...Yeah, dat's me...she nodded and smiled wanly... "Meet my friend and, like you, dear, yet another of my...Soon to be permanent...Acquisitions..."

Who, also like you, made an arrangement with me for the sake of her beloved...A fond smile at the confused young woman...Arrrrange...? "In his case for the continued advancement of his career after he defied some particularly nasty but extremely powerful types back in Hollywood..."

"Don' wanna go back dere..." the woman slowly shook her head... "Bad place..." "That's right, dear..." Henri nodded... "Hollywood, LA, America...Bad, unhappy places...You want to stay in Europe with me now...Forever..." Yeah...she nodded...Furever...

Buffy stared, vaguely recognizing...

"Jennifer, say hello to our friend Buffy..." Friend...s?...Jennifer smiled wanly... "No, dear...Not that kind of Friends..." Henri sighed...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXVI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away"

on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long

as I like it, it's ok..."

He glanced at the letter in his hand for the fourth time...Shaking his head slightly...Then turned to the second letter on his desk...Rubbing his forehead as he did so...

The photo on his desk, carefully polished and angled to easy view, stared quietly at him, the image smiling gently, in no way accusing...In no way demanding...

No...He told the photo firmly...

I will not...I must not...It's wrong and you know it is...

He sighed and looked again at the calendar...February 13th...2005.

One more glance at the photo...

Damn it...Damn it...I had to look her in the eyes one last time...Bloody damn foolish...

But...If she were here...And knew everything that had happened...

He picked up the phone, holding the first letter...

"This is your fault, my girl...Whatever happens..." he told the photo...

"Yes...Hello, Buffy...Yes, it's Giles in London...Yes, I'm fine...Are you and Dawn well?...Good...How's His Whatever?...Well, that's a pity he had to leave Rome just now...Yes, I would imagine his public demands attention from time to time..."

I suppose...he hesitated... "I suppose you're rather disappointed...He having to leave..."

"I see..." he nodded...Frowning at the photo...Yes, he glared at the smiling picture...You were right... "Well...So long as you're not upset..."

"Buffy...About your letter...No, no...My dear...I'm not 'getting after' you again about not 'moving on'...Buffy...I of all people understand...Yes, I'm sure His Benevolence will understand...Whenever He manages to hear what you've been trying to say to him all these months over the shouts of his adoring fans..."

My dear...another pause... "Are you really determined to come?...Try and find his grave here in England?...It's hardly an occupation for Valentine's Day..."

"Yes...Yes, I suppose you're right..." One final pause...One final look at the woman's smile pleading the case...

Jenny...He sighed...

Very well...

"Buffy...I have news from LA...A letter..." he began...

"No, not from Angel..."

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXVII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...( a series of alternatives rather than a continuous tale)

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Rome...February 13th, 2005...

Quite a suit...The only thought that came to her blocked brain over a full minute...

"So...?" a wry smile, a quizzical look...

"How have you two been doin'?...I mean without a fully-souled pet vamp to keep the vermin down?..."

Uh...she blanked, then recovered a bit... "Fine, Spike...We've been just fine..."

That's good...he nodded, leaning against the wall of the apartment building hallway...Eyeing her...

Nibs...he smiled at her...

"Is she here or no?..." he glanced down towards their apartment door...

"When did you..." Dawn stumbled for the right word...Still trying to catch the breath knocked out of her when she'd found him in the hallway as she returned from a run, "lurking for ole times' sake" as he'd self-mockingly put it...Clearly for his part having spent some time trying to work up enough nerve to ring or knock...

Quite a suit...The thought repeated...Which indeed, thanks largely to Angel's skill in retaining some of the shattered remains of Wolfram-Hart International, it was...

And much to her surprise...He wore it with quite a relaxed air...

But naturally...Human William had been quite used to wearing suits, she guessed...And so, souled Will...Like riding a bike...

He stared at her...Suddenly realizing...

"Andrew never told you?..."

Andy?...That Warren-loving son of a...

Uh... "No..." she replied...Ummn...

He was suddenly apologetic...And every inch the Victorian gentleman she'd occasionally chosen to cast him as in her fantasies...

"Nibs, I am sorry, bargin' in like this...I was sure you all knew..."

When?...she repeated... "That same year, the following October..." he replied...

How?...Wait... "Did Willow...?" Did she?...Did she go behind our backs and actually get Willow to?...she thought...And all this time...

Did she actually...That much?...No, if she'd arranged it...If she cared that much...She'd've gone to him...Not stayed here...Not played around with...

He cut into her musings...

"No...An old 'friend' of Angel's, helped by that damned amulet so far as we know...The details, God knows, girl...I was a ghostie for a bit, then solid again..."

And still draggin' the damned old soul about...he added hastily...

"Why...Why didn't you come?...Call?..." I know why...And yes, damn that soul...Even she knew you'd changed that year...That things weren't quite the same...

Spike would've come, to hell with any considerate reservations or sincere desires to be understanding...

He looked away... "I thought it was for the best...All around, you know..."

God damn that soul...Even she said so...

Funny, hearing the way she said it...The evening of that glorious, terrible day...That was the first time...I thought maybe...She really...

'God damn that soul'...Even as she cursed herself that evening...And all those days afterward, for not making you come...Dragging you out with her...

"Then..." He looked her in the eye... "I heard about the Immortal and I knew I'd done the right thing..."

Oh, absolutely...she thought...And to further avoid giving my poor sis any pangs of sorrow or embarrassment...Lets just us two old pals go off somewhere and talk over old times...

Ummn...she actually said...

"The cowardly thing, eh?..." he grinned... "But still, the right thing..."

Assuming?...They are...That is to say...he now stumbled...

"She's happy, right?..."

Uh...Ummn... "Yeah, sure...Well...Metsa-metsa...You know Buffy...And she was sorry about you..."

"Right..." Despite his best efforts, his face briefly falling several stories...Then another grin...

"So, it bein' the right thing...Why is he here, now?..." he smiled at her...

"Pragmatically...I had to be in Rome...Well, one of us did...Company shake-up of the remaining diehards of the Partners' regime...Angel thought they might be contemplating making one last stand over here...Which, most of them being human and all simply company drones, ready and eager to take orders from anyone signin' the old paycheck, they did not..."

More's the pity...We'd hoped to seriously lighten the deadwood load...And we all...The four of us new Partners...Hate firing staff...

"Mucho easier to just kill em, if they'd fight it out...But..." he shrugged...

"Emotionally...Well..." he waved a hand... "I had to come...And finally see..."

Think of something...Anything...she thought...

Anything to keep him talking another ten minutes...Ten minutes is all I need...

"It's the damned soul...It gets sentimental at this time of year...For personal as well as seasonal reasons, it's an odd time for me..."

Five minutes maybe...They're super-people, they'll be out and on their way fast...

"But...She is happy, right?...His Still-Oughta-Wait-For-The-Curtain-'Fore- Proclaiming-It-Mate Immortalness treats her well?...No fiendish schemes behind his attentions so far...?"

"He's ok...Far as we can tell...I guess she likes him..."

"Whoa..." he whistled... "From the Nibs, high praise indeed...For the vampirally-afflicted, that is..."

Angel and I would have killed for such recommendation in our respective days...he grinned...

Ok...Maybe five minutes more...It's not wrong...She didn't get him back...She didn't try, not even a seance to see if he was ok, in Heaven...

Hmmn...A conversational topic of merit...

"Spike?...Sorry...Er, William?...Were you in Heaven?...Like her?"

"Don't think so, Niblett...If I was, don't remember...But I did have a lot to answer for..."

"No...Not you..." she replied... He smiled, crossing arms... "Thanks...I can remember a time not long ago when that's the last thing I would have heard from you..."

Anyway...he began... "If she is around..."

What was the whole thing about RJ but a rehearsal for this?...It wasn't that idiot we were fighting over then, not really...And just as something in her, beyond that damned spell, went right after him...She'd be right after William now, simply because my wanting him made him valuable again...I am a part of her, right?...

Or would it be because...?

"I'm sorry..." she hastily resumed... "I mean about that year...I should have tried to help you...Me, of all people..."

"I assaulted your sis when she'd come to trust me a little...Then the First was running my newly resouled head..." he shook his head... "You were right to be on guard..."

Well...He looked up the hall towards the apartment door...Thank God it's daylight and he had to come inside...Not wait out by the street exit...she sighed to herself...

And yet...If I don't go to her...Tell her before they leave...If they haven't left already...

"Nibs?..."

But hey, she's been ok with the Self-Anointed, Smug One...And for a non-souled vamp, he's reasonably, within limits...Ok...

And she didn't...If it had been me...With Willow at her strongest, beside me...Osiris mad at her or no...

'Course, except for my failed seance attempt...Hey, with good reason, I now see...I didn't exactly...

And she was so...

"Niblett?..." Huh?...Oh... "Sorry..."

"Is she home, Dawn?...Can we go and...?" he nodded towards the door...

"I think she's gone out...But we can go see..." she led him to the door and knocked... Buffy?...

Hesitating a little as he watched, clearly rather anxious...She inserted a key and opened the door...Dark...

Phew...On time for once...Thank you, si...She pulled herself up short, seeing him as she turned round...

God, what have I done...she stared at his crestfallen face as he stood inside, looking round a bit but keeping to the center of the living room she'd waved him into...

"Very nice place..." he noted...For the second time in five minutes, as she brought him a cup of tea... "You've made a few changes since I was here..." She frowned at his reference to the brief visit he'd described earlier after she'd persuaded him to stay and chat...He obviously hoping against hope her light suggestion that Buffy might return quickly or call to give her and her companion's whereabouts for the evening might prove true...

"Thanks...You might've stayed and seen us that night, you know..."

"Well...Your sis was ok...Ole Andy mentioned the 'moved on' thing...And after that neither of us was really up for a chat and visit..."

Good ole Andy...I may stay his execution after all...God, what am I doin'?...

Ummn...he cleared his throat... "You are sure you don't..." he began...

"They didn't say where they were headed, William..."

And that, at least, is no lie...Thanks sis...

Right...he nodded...Looking away, then at her... "And how has European life broadened your horizons, Ms. Summers Jr?..."

"It's been...Different..." she nodded carefully... "I like it...Especially there being no Hellmouth...And no Undead armies waiting to march..."

"No cynically worldly princes of darkness makin' their move?..."

"His B's worldly enough..." she grinned now... "But a few too many brains to go with Evil, Inc's master plans..."

Giles says he's simply learned and developed enough to realize which team is bound to win and put himself on that side...she noted...

"Though he has done good things not likely to benefit him...He is seeking...Something better..."

William nodded...

"I think that's what attracted sis in the end...I mean besides the incredible wealth, prestige, and fantastic good looks..."

"Well...Tell her to take care in any case...She's a bit of a sucker at times for those redemption-seeking types...Though to be fair, we've never heard words against him..."

Except from dear ole Andy...he smiled... "Who did mention... 'flaws'..."

"There are a few..." she smiled... "He's a little too fond of those adoring fans for one thing..."

Ah... "Well there you are..." he grinned... "And I know exactly what you mean...You should see the work we have back in LA holding down His Broodiness, especially after the Partners were beat..."

We appreciated the help by the way...he noted...It was kind of you all to send those Slayers...

"Giles made the decision...After he got Angel's message...Though she did approve...She felt kinda bad about the way she'd acted, going along so quickly with Giles about Angel selling out to the Evil team..."

But it was only 'cause she'd been so...she paused...He stared at her...

"She was upset about you...That stupid amulet...And Angel was the one who'd brought it...And then when he took over Wolfram-Hart, LA...Well..."

But it worked out in the end...she finished...

Though she still couldn't go herself...Face Angel...And be reminded...she thought...

"Well...We all appreciated it...Our miserable butts were hanging by a thread..."

"Just wish one of them had told us about you...Or that idiot Andrew..."

"I kinda got flattened and shoved into an alleyway early in the melee...Didn't see much of them later...They probably never saw me...As for Andy, I asked him not to tell you...Never thought he'd manage to keep that one so well..."

"Yeah?...'Course he has shown us a lil more backbone than we ever expected this last year...Even to disagreeing with Giles..."

"Would've liked to've seen that..." Well...he paused...Looking round again... "Perhaps I'd best be on my merry...Your sis might not care to hear you'd been let me visit alone and unchaperoned..."

Ummn...She watched him rise... "I'm free for dinner..." she hastily blurted...

Lovely...Very cool, Summers...she groused to herself...But he eyed her and smiled... "So am I..."

He hesitated... "In fact, I did have some hopes of celebrating the day a little..."

"Valentine's Day?...Is that some English...?" "My birthday..."

Birth...day? "Human, I mean...So it would be nice to have a little company..."

If you really think your sis wouldn't mind?...

"Hey, I date now..." she frowned...Then smiled back to his grin... "And besides, you're my old babysitter..." Indeed...he nodded...

"In that case, Ms. Dawn Summers...Would you care to be your ole broken-down babysitter's birthday guest for dinner?..."

"Absoblooming tootly..." she nodded, beaming and rising... Uh... "I mean...We got a lot of catchin' up to do..." she noted...

"Absobloodyblooming tootly, girl..." he nodded in turn... "But I actually do have some...Of all things...Business to attend...Just let me call my driver and have him cart me over to the office for ten quick and I'll be back to pick up the prettiest young lady in Rome..."

Bar none...he smiled...She smiling back...

"That oughta give me time to change...Fancy or?..." she eyed him...

"On the Brooding One's nickel?...Please...The best in Rome..."

No...I will not think of it...She could've had Willow try...It's my turn...

"I'll be back in a vampiral flash...Though not as a dust cloud, I hope..."

"William?..." Hmmn?...he looked at her... "How...In human..."

"Twenty-three..." he smiled... "Unless I missed a year or two in my math..."

He left five minutes later via the hallway to the covered alleyway exit where his car and driver were to meet him and she moved to her bedroom door...

Only to hear the key turn in the front door lock...

"Hey..." Buffy waved, pushing the door open...

Ummn...

"Hey...What..."

A wan smile and shrug... "Guess I asked Henri one too many questions about the old days..."

Well, certain select sets of old days...she sighed, sitting down, rubbing a foot...And looked up at the staring Dawn...

"He...Ummn...Noticed I was only interested in the years after 1880...And kept bringing up the Angelus pride...One of its junior members in particular..."

Dawn blinked as Buffy regarded her...

"You headed out somewhere?..."

Hmmn?...

"You looked like you were going in to change...I was gonna ask if you wanted to go somewhere for dinner but if you're headed out, it's fine...Long as I know who, where, and how long..."

"You...All this time...You've been pumping him for info?...About Spike?..."

William...Buffy gently but firmly corrected... "Not exactly...I...Well..."

Maybe a little...

"I guess maybe a little too much...As he made clear just now..."

Oh?...

"With words to the effect... 'I think...My dear...Your Council would have more information on your William the Bloody than the Immortal...He was never quite a major concern on my part...'..."

Dork...she hissed...Then sighed... "I suppose I'm being a leetle unfair...He was hurt..."

To think a woman in His presence could be thinking of another...she grinned...No...she shook her head... "I am being a little...But he didn't have to get all huffy..."

Sorry...Dawn mumbled...Eyes flicking to the mantlepiece clock...He was gonna be back within twenty...thirty tops...Twelve of the twenty left...

"Sorry if I'm keepin' ya...Is it something...Big?..."

You might say... "No...No, I was just gonna meet one of the girls from my painting class..."

Uh-huh... "Any chance big sis could tag along?..."

Uh...Well...

Uh-huh... "Sounds like your fellow painter's quite a hunk...I get the message, it's ok...But who is he and where are you going?..."

"Just a nice guy...Not far...Probably some place near the Forum...And not late..."

Uh-huh...Buffy waited...

"Name?..."

Ummn... "Guilliame, I think..." Close enough, I hope...

"I don't really know his last name...I think he may have told me but I forgot..." Ok, a lie...Unless maybe once he did...Maybe in the middle of some life-and-death struggle and I wasn't listening closely?...

"Dawn..."

"Honest...And he's a very nice guy..."

"Then he'll have no objection to meeting big sis..." a firm look...

"I was gonna meet him..." Well, I was gonna go down to the alley to the car...

An eye-roll...Dawn...she repeated with a frown...Then a sudden sigh... "Fine...I wouldn't be very good company tonight anyway..." she looked down...

"But no later than ten...And next time, he comes here..."

"Absoblooming tootly...Uh...Yeah...Next time, here...Fer sure..." she turned...Ok, just throw on the new top and run like hell...

"He Italian?..." a note in Buffy's voice...A pleading to stay, just a bit longer...Held her... "Well, 'Guilliame' or whatever...That's...Well...What?"

"Not exactly...He's...Sorta...English..."

Oh?...Genuine curiosity...

"How old?..."

"Twenty-something...Twenty-three today, I think..."

Buffy stared...But not entirely an 'are you kidding?' stare...

"Twenty-three?...Today?..."

Twenty-three...she breathed...

"Too old...Dawn..." instinct kicking in...Then she gave a slight gasping sound...

"Buffy?..." Dawn stared in shock as the Slayer of Slayers dissolved into tears...

"He...He'd've been twenty-three today..." the words slipped out as Buffy got hold of herself...

Minus the vamp years, of course...

"You looked him up..." Dawn said...A statement of fact rather than a question...

In London...Buffy nodded... "When we were with Giles back in October...I...I had to find out about him...One of the archivists helped me...Giles doesn't know..."

And is not to know...The Slayer was firm...

"...Soames Walthrop..."

Hmmn?...

"The rest of his name..." Buffy explained... "William Soames Walthrop...Cambridge student and poet...Disappeared on March 13, 1880 under mysterious circumstances...Later found dead with strange neck wounds..."

Hmmph...she began again...The tears welling... "My William..." she suddenly gasped...And sobbed...

Dawn closed her eyes and opened them silently...Oh, God...

Ok...Damn it...I give...

But lets be honest about this...We're not doing this for sis...And maybe not even for our Will, though it will be our birthday present to him...

We're doing this because he might...Just might...Hate us forever if he found out...And should things not work out for them...

Well, Laurie settled for Amy when things went south with Jo...And you never know...

Uh... "Buffy..." she began...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXVIII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...( a series of alternatives rather than a continuous tale)

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Valentine's Day morning, 2005...LA...

What he told them...

Angel paused from watching his videotape of the latest episode of "The Apprentice III...Turning the Tables..." As a terrified Donald Trump, now forced to be the apprentice in various professions, awaited the advance of the gigantic heavyweight boxer now facing him... "Without a stunt impersonator, all real, all reality..." the announcer intoned...

A ghastly sound of fist on soft, overfed flesh and a hideous wail of pain from the set as he looked up at Illyria, dragging William into his office...Harmony and a still-recovering Charlie Gunn following close behind, both clearly eager to witness Spike's latest humiliation...

"Our Partner has returned..." Winifred "Illyria (nickname the guys gave me, Mom)" Burkle-Wyndham-Price, noted firmly, as she sat him in a chair and took a seat...Harmony and Gunn grabbing chairs...William glaring, but looking glum as he sat...

"Well...Our prodigal back...How did it go?..." Angel eyed him...

Trump's screams continuing in the background on low volume as his fellow firefighters, disgusted by his attempts to cash in via cell phone on human tragedy, left him locked in a burning apartment complex... "You want this place that bad, you got it, pal..." one mockingly yelling to him as the group leaves...

Hmmn?...William gave a blank and innocent look...Go?...

"Angel wants to know how your desperate and pathetic attempt to resume mating efforts with your Slayer, Ms. Summers, went..." Illyria noted...Then reaching for something of properly Fredian kindness in her fragmented memories... "I bet you did...Valentine's Day and all...A great time to find a human female willing to let you impregnate her..."

The others stared at her...What?...she looked at them...Well, Harmony shrugged...

She has got the essential concept down...

"Oh..." Fredian apologetic mode... "Sorry...Today's the big day...So I guess you failed, huh?..."

Well...Harmony's always available for causal sex...she kindly noted...

"Hey..." Human-souled Ms. Kendall frowned... "Human-souled and no longer doormat here..." she glared...

Even if all my vamp self wanted was the chance to get her job back...

"Sorry..." Illyria nervously glanced round... "Just tryin' to make Spike feel better...After his ghastly rejection and humiliation...No doubt a kind of spiritual castration..."

"Hey..." William frowned now...

Of course if Will really is all broken-up over this latest thing...I could find it in my resouled heart to be comforting and loving...Harm thought...

"It wasn't like that..." he continued...

Well...Maybe a little like that...he conceded as they stared at him...

"How'd you lot guess I went to Rome?..."

They all stared at him...Then the calendar...

Right...he sighed...

"Well...I went...Yes...I mean time a year and all that...And we hadn't heard she and the Immortal had moved on to any more permanent stage...So I just thought...Well...For ole time's sake..."

"And so you got to Rome..." Illyria continued for him... "Where abject humiliation in short, blonde form awaited you..."

Have I been there...Angel thought...

Arggh...William sighed...Ah...

"Yeah, I got there...I went to her place...Andy told me she and Dawn had gone to Milan with His Benevolence for His latest book's coming-out party..."

"Yeah..." Charlie nodded eagerly...Pulling out a book with beautifully decorated jacket... "It's His best yet...I couldn't put it..." He stopped as the group looked at him quietly...Ummn...

"As I was sayin'..." William glared...

They'd gone...And so, being on my well-deserved vacation...

"I approved a vacation for you?...When did that happen?..." Angel frowned...

"World-saving heroes take their well-earned time-off when they damned well feel like it..." William replied... "Especially European-born world-saving heroes who have a life outside the bloody office..."

Anyway, I followed on to Milan... And there...

Milan...February 11th...

Madonna's "Material Girl" begins playing in the background...

We see a huge crowd, held back from a long, red-carpeted path to the former grand ducal palace by ropes and guards, all struggling and straining to be in view of their beloved hero, just now coming into view...

His Benevolence, newly emerged from limo, graciously waves to the crowd...At his side, looking properly calm and collected...In dazzling gown, encrusted with jewelry...His current significant other...The real thing, according to the February "People"...

Buffy Summers...Who gives a dignified wave to the adoring multitude...

Some kind of super evil vermin exterminator or something, one of the crowd hastily mumbles to his questioning female companion...Pretty enough, anyway...

And lost in the crowd, trying to make his reasonably non-lethal way to the roped-off walkway...William, in a fine copy of Spike's trademark old duster...

Thought she might appreciate it...For ole times' sake...he noted to the gang...

Held up by reporters asking mostly inane questions, the Immortal and his mate stood their ground with appropriate dignity...She occasionally giving slight, carefully measured queenly waves to the crowd as her Immortal One expounded on his latest work and its vital importance to Humanity's salvation...In spirit, at least...The Immortal being far too sensible of his own vital importance to the world to risk himself physically in the usual silly and trivial battles with Evil...

Giving William his chance to stagger through to the rope on his side... "Buffy?"...A wave...

She, inclining her head to take in His Benevolence's pearls of philosophical wisdom being dispensed...For once...For free to the swelled horde of reporters...

"Summers!..." a cry lost in the thousands of murmurs of praise and thanksgiving for His Benevolence's life-affirming words...

He sighed and waited...Maybe further on down...When his eyes suddenly met hers as she turned to give the crowd another brief wave...

"Buffy?..."

A slight, measured stare...She fingering her all-diamond...Large diamonds...necklace as she eyed him a moment...

A slight nod...And she returned to her waving...The Immortal finishing, they resumed their procession...

Buffy?...he stared after her as she continued on, her arm firmly locked in His Benevolence's...

Well...Maybe she didn't really...Thought it couldn't be...Me...He made for the ropes...And fell back as two large guards pushed him aside... "Keep away from the walk!..." one called in Italian...

He tried again, further down...Nearly slipping under before they grabbed him...

("Naturally the ole neck snap was out of the question..." he sighed...

I loved the neck snap...Angel sighed nostalgically...Uh...)

"I'm Ms. Summers...Uh...Champion...William...Soames Walthrop!"...he got out to one guard before they tossed him back...

"Tell her it really is...!"

Me...he finished lamely as they headed off without another look at him...

He turned sadly back and was lost in the crowd in a moment...

"And that was it?..." Harm stared at him... "Didn't you try to reach her later?..."

And kill her?...Illyria thought...

"Couldn't get near the palace where the book-signing was...However..." he paused...

I should have Will...er I should write a book...Angel noted to himself...Nina would like that...

"Some flunky did find me about twenty minutes later outside the ducal palace, hopin' to catch sight of her...And brought..."

"A token of her undying love..." Charlie sighed...

Ummn...Just kiddin'...he nervously laughed at the ladies eyed him...Coolly...

"An autographed copy of His Benevolence's book...With note... 'Great to see you made it back to Earth...Best wishes, Buffy Summers...'..."

What...Nothing for me?...Angel stared...

"Yes..." Illyria nodded... "Clean, quick...She disposed of you with admirable efficiency..."

Right...Will glared... "Well, anyway...That was that...I got on the first plane home..."

Hmmn...Harm frowned...

There is no Truth in Beauty...Charlie sadly mumbled, shaking his head... Ummn...

"Tough, man...But you'll show that ice bitch..." he hastily tried to recover...

Hmmn...Harmony frowned...I may never have liked Buffy Summers...But this is not Buffy Summers behavior...Or if it is now, he oughta be calling in a massive strike to rescue her from the fiend possessing her body...

There musta been a note for me...He's just not saying...Angel thought, frowning...

Harmony followed him down the hall as he returned to his office...And went right in after him without pause...

"Harmony...Out..."

"Ms. Kendall to you...What happened in Italy, William?..."

"I just tole you...And as one of your employers, girl...I'm giving you five..."

"As the human-souled vamp version of the woman you took shameful advantage of...I'm demanding the whole story..."

In exchange for a good character reference at Judgement Day...she noted...

"I tole you lot..." "Bullcrap...Buffy would never do that to you unless the First has taken her...And since I see no preps for a big overseas operation..."

He frowned, then sighed...

"Ok, all right..." he waved her to a seat... "But this is strictly between us..."

What actually happened...

Milan...February 11th...The same feverish crowd, the same roped-off walkway...

(Material Girl theme in background)

A jewel-loaded, begowned Buffy Summers...Perhaps a bit more weary-looking and impatient as she fidgeted beside His Benevolence...Engaged in a long interview...

He peered from the heaving, straining crowd, managing to barely catch sight of her...

Well...She seems quite settled...And this was one of my more ridiculous ideas...He looked behind him for a possible exit route through the crowd involving the least necessary violence...

Just as, turning to eye the frighteningly adoring mob on his side, with the Immortal contentedly beaming and waving to her right, she caught the briefest glimpse...

And with a shocked expression, and dragging her arm-linked companion...Leading to an equally shocked...We never actually come into direct contact with these...People...Expression on the Immortal's divinely handsome face...She hurried to the side rope where screaming adorers reached out to His Benevolence...Who attempted to maintain that benevolent look despite the sheer terror of thousands of maniacs grabbing for his divinely handsome features...

"William!...William!..." she cried... "It's William!..." she gasped to her now increasingly annoyed partner...

Oh really...How delight...he blinked as she pulled away and moved into the crowd, ducking under the rope and tossing back several over-eager types...Several bodyguards cautiously running to him to urge a continuation of the procession...

Before the demented mob decided to try and bring home individual pieces of the object of their veneration...

"William!..." he heard her cry through the solid mass behind him...And turning, saw that mass part like the Red Sea for Moses...She standing in now rather bedraggled gown...A mix of joy and incredulity on her face...Pausing just a second to be sure...Then racing to him...

Lifting and spinning him round... "William, William...!" her voice catching as sobs began...

The puzzled crowd about them briefly staring, then realizing His Benevolence was not involved, returned to struggle against the ropes, leaving them reasonably well isolated...

"How...Where...the hell?..." she stumbled over the words while setting him on ground...Eyeing him, then touching him tentatively...Not quite ready to believe...

"William...William..." she whispered...Grabbing him close... "Where the hell have you been?..." she set him down again...

"Did God...?" she eyed him... "I sure did pray enough..."

No, no... he waved a hand..."No divine intervention, Summers...That I know of..."

"When...How...And tell me Dru and/or Harmony are nowhere near..."

"October, that year...Not sure, but probably some ole foe tryin' to put a nasty one over on Angel...I'm alone..."

She blinked at him...Color returning to her face rather rapidly...Eyes narrowing...

Ok... "In reverse order...That's good for their sakes...If the guy's alive, I'll plead his case with Angel..."

And...October, that year?... You are so dust, you worthless, partial-son-of-a-Dru...she glared...

"How could you do that to me?..." she whacked him... "Oh, William..." she snatched him up and hugged him tight... "Nice coat..." she smiled appreciatively at the new duster... "Must've been tough finding another like that..."

"Wolfram-Hart resources were still somewhat intact..." he noted... "Sorry...I thought it was for the..."

"If you say... 'for the best'..." she glared..."...or that you thought it was the 'right thing'..."

"Didn't Andy tell you...?" he brilliantly dodged...Alas, poor Andrew...I knew him, Horatio...

Andy?...Wells...?

Knew?...A killing glare forming...

"Wait...You still have the soul?..." she eyed him...Then frowned... "Yeah, only that damned soul would act like this...Goddamn you!..." she was near tears now...

You never trusted in me...I know...she waved a hand...

"You hate me...You've hated me since you came to me with that whacked-out soul...And I told you..." she paused...And began sobbing...

"Buffy..." he patted at her...

"I'm so ashamed, Will...I've hated myself for what I did...I don't blame you for hating me, not believing me..."

Buffy?...he stared...She looked at him...

"When I told you I needed Spike back...The mad killer was more use to me than..." she fell in a heap, sobbing again...Then looked up at him... "I deserve for you to hate me now..." she shook her head... "I never did a thing to help you before you went to Africa...To get your soul back, all on your lonesome..."

Even Giles was impressed in the end...she noted, calming suddenly... "I mean, after the battle was won and he'd had time to think the whole thing over..."

But...Where?...she looked at him... LA, he replied...

"With Angel?...All this time?...Oh, and when I think I felt bad after going along with Giles about not trusting him after the W-H Partners' deal...And sent those Slayers to help him in his fight..."

Oh...Her eyes widened... "You were in that fight?...Oh, God...Damnit, why didn't you tell me?..."

"Alls well that ends well, love...And those fifty Slayers turned the tide nicely...Nary a scratch on me pristine blonde hide..."

I'll bet...she eyed him sourly...

"Well, come on...Lets go somewhere and get dinner..." she turned... "We can catch the first plane or train back to Rome after..."

"But...The Immortal..."

"Won't notice for several days...He never hears a word I say these days, especially when on tour..."

Ummn...she eyed him... "He is nice when not overinflated...And he is seeking a kind of redemption..."

I thought...she sighed... When we met in Rome...And he seemed so sincere about things...

"I thought it was a chance to make amends...Help one of your kind in a way besides the mercifully quick way... "

"And his vast wealth, power, fame, divine good looks didn't hurt..."

Not much...she gave him a straight-on look... "But I'm here, not there..."

'Sides...Like a certain blonde vamp I know...He's got his flaws...

"So Mr. Wells told me when Angel and I came to Rome..."

Oops...He thought desperately for a recovery as she stared at him... "You were..."

You Dru's bitch...You little blonde asshole...You...You...

"William Soames the Bloody Awful Poet Walthrop!..." she raged...

"You know my name...?" he blinked...

"Of course I know your name, shithead!...I spent a month in London digging it out of the remains of the Watcher archives after hours...Just so I'd have it...And could get it put on your friggin' tombstone..."

"You got me a..."

"I shoulda got you a toilet bowl!...And written... 'William...Out to sea...Good riddance'...You..." Tears again...

You were in Rome...she sobbed...

"You got me a tombstone..." he beamed...

Well...she suddenly looked a little guilty... "We found out we didn't need to get one...There was one..."

By the way?...she frowned again... "Who the hell was Cicely?...Was she the girl?...The one you mentioned that night in the bar?..."

Cicely?...

"The one who dumped you?...So totally?...The way I should right now?..."

"Cicely got me a tombstone?...Well..." he shook his head... "I guess she felt guilty after seeing my mangled corpse..."

"Sounds like you left something out about that relationship..." she glared... "What didn't you tell me?...She liked you, didn't she?...And you two just had a fight and you panicked like the wuss you still are and..."

Did you and she...?

"Buffy..."

"You love her now, right?...That's what the problem is...She's the one you want...You're just waitin' to die so you can be with her...That's why...Ever since you got the soul..." she paused...

"Summers...Don't be..."

"I knew right away something'd changed about you...Besides the lust for murder, I mean...God, what a fool I was that year..."

Buffy?...

"The hell with the First and the world's pending doom...I shoulda screwed the life out of you the day your head cleared and made 'Cicely' a forgotten word..." she shook her head...

And now...It's too late...You want her...You've been tryin' to think of a way to let me down easy all this time...

"Summers...You're being rid..."

"You can go back to LA...I don't need your pity, William...Tell Cicely to say her prayers if they say them in Heaven, cause when I get there, there'll be no holds barred between us...And then I'll drag you off and..."

"Sounds like that time in the crypt..." he grinned...

Hmmn?..."Oh...You mean when we did the thing where I hunted you and imaginary Dru down, staked her, and then admitted I was supposed to bring her back to the Council for study but couldn't let her Unlive, knowing your heart, mind, and luscious bod belonged to her..."

That was neat...she grinned...Then frowned... "I'll bet 'Cicely' never did that ..."

"Buffy...Whatever remorse Cicely felt later...At the time..."

Yeah...?

"She really got me a tombstone...?"

"You...!...Hey!..." she suddenly paused...

"Where's my poem...?"

Hmmn?...

"You wrote one to the love of your life...Where's mine?...Did you even bother?...Or was it... 'Thanks for some hot ones, Buf...And for keeping things quick'...?"

Ummn...

"Right...You didn't even bother...Bastard...Coward...You were so sure I was worthless...Heartless Buffy, why waste good ink and paper on her..."

No poem for her...she looked down, lip trembling...

"Girl, I started odes to you a zillion times..."

"Started...How many did you finish?..." He looked a bit flustered...Ummn...How many?...

Yeah...she fumed... "Not one...Heartless Buffy the User doesn't rate one..."

Several flunkies now emerged from the crowd's mass...A wall of writhing backs facing them...

"Madame..." one called... "His Benevolence is becoming somewhat concerned over your prolonged absence from His presence...Are you...?"

Fine, fine...she murmurred...

"There have been calls from London...Mr. Giles has been..." another announced...

Oh, God...she frowned... "I'm not on the treadmill any more, Giles knows that..." she glared...

Well...she sighed, pulling clipped cell phone from a fold of her gown... "Don't you go the hell anywhere..." she eyed William...

Yeah, it's me...she rather bitterly told the phone...Keeping eyes firmly on William...The somewhat bemused attendants eyeing her, then him...Looking at each other...She's not returning immediately to ease His Benevolence's concern?...

"Look, Giles I have things to do...No, not His Benevolence's tour...You know I'd never put that above...But you have three hundred Slayers right at the London center and thereabouts in training...Why do I...?" Mmmmphf...she fumed... "Ok...Right...Yeah...I'll be there...Just let me check in with Dawn...Bye...Yeah, sure I understand..." she hung up...

Schmuck...she hissed, stamping her feet...Well, no... "I don't mean that..." she told William hastily...

What?...She eyed the Immortal's attendants... "Are you two still here?...Go on back...Tell Henri I had to leave on Council business and..." she grinned at William... "And I found as he likes to call him 'What's his name...' ...Ummn...His name with capital...And I think it's time we started seeing other people..."

He'll understand...Or at least have forgotten our whole time together in a day or so...

"Come on..." she turned to William... "We only have ten minutes before I gotta call Dawn and grab a cab..."

"Is this thing in London serious?..." he looked at her as the shocked flunkies backed away, stumbling into the crowd...Tell His Benevolence...?...

"I wouldn't leave now if it weren't..." she grimly replied...

"Well, then I'll tag..." "The hell you will...I didn't just get you back to lose you tomorrow...And I don't want you for your fighting prowess..."

Which is unquestionable...she hastily added... "But I'm not gonna let it begin again this way...Not using you to save the world's and my ass...Not this time..."

"I made the decision...I wanted to..." "And I've made the decision this time...NO!..."

"Buffy...If something happens...I want to be there..."

"Nothing's gonna happen...It's not that bad...Giles just doesn't trust his new girls to deal...I'm just in to keep them in line..."

"Buffy..." "After I get back...And every day...But not tomorrow...I won't do it that way...No..."

'Sides...This'll give you time to write that poem...And it better be as good as Cicely's...she eyed him...

"I think my beauty's at least as effulgent..." she noted slyly... "Now, kiss me goodbye...Please...And go with me to the airport...And kiss me goodbye again...And then you go to Rome and stay at my place till I get back...By Valentine's Day, I promise..."

"And then, at the airport...She left..." he sighed...Harmony staring...

"That's what happened?...And you didn't tell us?...Why?...That was..."

Hey?...she blinked at him... "Why are you here and not in Rome?...Oh, my God...Did something...?"

Nah...he frowned... "Buffy Summers?...Please...Heck, Rupert told me over the phone it was all but over before she got there...Some demon lord fooling around got lucky turning a couple of inexperience Slayers over at the Cleveland Mouth...The Slayers on hand took care of them..."

So?...she looked at him...

"I just thought things over at the airport in Milan and I figured...Well, it was nice that she wants to end things easy..."

End things?...Harmony stared...

Oh...I get it...

"Aww..." she sneered... "Is de widdle soully fraid of gettin' hurt again...?"

The physical bod...Souled or no...Sure wasn't afraid of hurtin' me when it solidified that October...she noted...

"Enough, girl...I might point out the consequences of 'getting hurt' for me last time were preety severe...And more so in 1880..."

So...You are afraid...she grinned... "And that's why...In spite of all the talk about 'pure sacrifice' that year..."

"I just want what's best for both of us...And..." he rose, backing for his door...

"...That's for both of us to decide...Together..." Buffy finished as she stood, still in the same bedraggled gown, blocking his exit...

Thanks, Harm...she beamed at Harmony who grinned at him... "She begged me from her cab by cell to keep you just another ten..."

The beam got a little less so...Oh...Harmony nodded... "And now she'd like me and my recovered soul to get lost..." Another grin...

"Thanks, Harm..." she made room for the vampiress to pass, then turned back to him, still blocking the doorway... "I really need to do something nice for her...After she was so nice to help and me leaving her vamped and prowling all these years..."

Say, maybe we could hook her up with the Immortal?...she eyed him... "He's free now..."

"So...?" he stared at her...

"So...First...I think it should be obvious...Even to you, you little cowardly blonde jackass...That I meant it, that day...And at Milan..."

Second...she looked down... "If I'd thought there was any hope...That you weren't safe in Heaven and better off there...Till I could go and maybe find you there...Someday...Will, I woulda done anything...Including try the vamp route...To be with you...You hafta believe that..."

Hell, if you tell me there was no one else all this time, I'll believe you...Fundamentally...she noted...

"There wasn't..." he stared at her... "Buffy..."

Third...You are on vacation as of now...As am I...And tonight we are gonna go somewhere neither of us have ever been and do things neither of us have ever tried...I got Willow workin' on a daylight spell for you so we might try some skiing?...Go skating in Rockefeller Center in NYC?...But first, you're taking me shopping...Which Angel assured me you can now afford..."

Thanks, Boss...he frowned...

"Fourth, dinner...The best place in town, just the two of us..."

And then...We'll see...It is Valentine's Day, after all...she grinned...

Then a glare...

"Poem...?...I suppose you didn't even..."

Triumphantly, he whipped out a notepad... "Oh, Will..." she beamed...

Het-hum...He peered at the door...She slammed it shut...OW!...a howl from at least two of the gang, lurking where Harmony had waved them over...

"To Buffy..."

"I love you more than words could ever explain...But..."

He smiled gently...

"Those last three years were the poem, girl..." he read...

"Immortal Beloved LXXIX..."

A shortie

PG-13

Spoilers for Angel to "The Girl in Question..." However everything here except the reference to the episode's enemy is my own playin' round...

Disclaimer: Everything but the 'Soames Walthrop' and I don't use it here is Joss' and ME's

Summary: Yet another retelling of events during or after the Angel episodes "Girl in Question...", "Not Fade Away..." (Different versions, not a continuous story...For the most part)

Valentine's eve, 2005...

LA...William's new apartment...Befitting a new Associate Partner of LA's hot new legal/investigative firm...Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...

William entertains his more or less permanent live-in...As said roomie watches from his high chair, a dinner of franks, macaroni, and vegetables mostly on face and floor...

"Lets see...Valentine's Day eve...The true time of the poetic romantic ..." he eyed the toddler, wiping the smeared face... "Whatdaya say kid?...Any ideas for this bloody awful poet/foster dad of yours?..."

Hmmn...Well...How's about this...

"Once upon a V-D eve dreary...Whilst I ponder, alone again, naturally...And weary..."

A frowning look...

"Ok, not so good...Like I said, bloody awful...You want Shakespeare?..."

A faint chuckle in the air... "How's about this?... 'My soul is wrapped in harsh repose,

Midnight descends in raven's-colored-clothes...'..." He whirled around... "Buffy...?" he whispered...Staring...

Nothing...

"Or maybe you should try another theme...It is your birthday tomorrow, right?..." the voice giggled a bit from another corner...

"Damnit, Slayer...Why the hell are you here and what the hell are you doing?...Have you been messin' round with that invisibility ray again?..." he called to the room at large, glaring...The toddler eyeing him with a somewhat perturbed air...

No, I ain't gone bonkers, kid...he sighed... "An old acquaintance has decided to mess with my head...Again..."

No doubt the world needs another dim-witted sacrificial lamb...he frowned...

"Hey!..." the voice called, a bit sharp... "I went to alotta of trouble for this...And I damned well better...As I happen to know, I do, lucky for you...Mean a lot more to you than 'an acquaintance'..."

"Summers...Knock it off, shut the blasted thing down, and tell me why you're here..."

"Tell me why you didn't come to Rome right away?..." the voice grumpily replied...

"How's the Immortal..." he replied, coolly...

"I wouldn't know...Ask a Ms. Sarah Gellar, slayer and actress...My current stand-in..." Buffy replied, materializing in front of him... "She's the one makin' time with His Benevolence..." her glowing form grinned at him...Then frowned... Jerk...she hissed...

Buffy...?...he stared at the spirit glowing...And now glowering...In front of him...

"...the Spectral Slayer...You son of a Dru...Never even tried to check things out...Even when you came to Rome..."

"You're?..." "A ghostie, yeah...Oh..." she eyed the now rather alarmed toddler... "Don't be scared, sweetie...Ghost Buffy isn't gonna hurt ya..."

"How?..." he blinked as the specter tried to pat the child... "If I really concentrate..." She looked at him...Ah...She beamed as the child cooed happily... "I managed to kiss Dawn last week when I first manifested with Willow's help...Not easy...But you've been there, I gather..."

"How...When...?" he looked at her as she turned back to face him...Dressed he noted as she had been that day at the Hellmouth...

"First...For God's sakes, Will...After all you went through that year, check me out..." she frowned... "I could be the First, ya know...Call Giles or at least see if Angel has anything to confirm my story...I'm not going anywheres..."

"No chance...The First would never be so annoying..." he replied... Hey...she glared...

"Or carry off those clothes with quite such style..." he gallantly finished... "Now, that's more like it, my Victorian sir..." she nodded...

The phone rang... "Mmmn...There's Dawn...I asked her to call in case you freaked or pulled out some Wolfram-Hart anti-First weapon that might block me out as well..."

He went to the phone... "Dawn?..." he cautiously asked...

Yeah...he replied as the ghostly Buffy beamed...Good ole sis... "She's here...Why the hell?..."

Like you people would've rejoiced at my appearance in Rome...? he frowned at the phone...

"Hey...Dawnie was broken up about you, too..." Buffy frowned...

After she thought things over and realized what you'd overcome for love of me...A wry smile...

"Well, when did she?...Fine..." he looked at the ghost... "She wants to tell me herself...Right...What?...Oh..." he paused...A faint smile breaking...

"It's nice to be back...And thank you...It's my twenty-third, humanwise..." "See, Dawn...I told ya...No big age difference...Humanwise...!" the ghost called...

Ummn... "You lot are sure she's not the First?...Right..."

Hmmn...? he stared at the receiver... "Such a cutie...What's his name, Will?...Hee..." Ghost Buffy returned to the toddler... "Though thank God he's not Harm's...Or..." she gulped a bit... "Dru's..."

"I wish I knew...Something to do with the amulet..."

"Hey?...Name?" "Philip William...!" "Philip?..." "My brother..." "Oh, right...He was in the archives..."

"Yeah, Nibs..." he told the phone... "I said, brother...I was human, you know...I had a family..."

"And a sister!..." ghost Buffy called...Smiling as he stared at her form..."Wonderful kid, Amelia...She sends her love..."

He blinked...Then slowly smiled back...Thanks, his look said...

"Anyway, then Angel's ole pal Lindsay appears to have gotten involved...Pulled up some kind of corporealization spell...It went with him to the grave, I'm afraid...Though I'll gladly drag him back from the beyond in agony if we must..." he told the phone... "But what about Willow?...Couldn't she?...I see..."

Osiris was still that mad, eh?...

Oh, yeah...Buffy rolled her eyes...

"Well, why didn't you lot contact Angel at Wolfram-Hart right away?...He had access to all sorts of..."

"Right, Wolfram-Hart's resurrected zombie-slave Buffy...That's what I would've wanted..." Buffy glared... "And Angel gave us that damned amulet..."

'Course being a resurrected zombie-slave living with you might not've been so bad...she noted...

You cutie...Oooh...she reached to the kid again...Hmmn... "Will, someone needs a little help...And I'm afraid I can't manage this one..."

"Well, let me see what we still may have on hand with the least strings attached...I'll head over and get back to you lot tomorrow..."

"The hell you will..." Buffy fumed... "I didn't spend all these afterlife points, a year trying to reach Dawnie, two weeks with Willow learning to manifest, and a week hounding Giles to look you up in the archives to get your birthday, to spend my first night back with you...Your birthday's and Valentine's eve...Pokin' round the old Wolfram-Hart vaults..."

"I'll see what we can do..." he told the phone, eyeing the glaring ghost briefly... "Say what's this about a Ms. Gellar?...She's been what?...Well, who's bright idea was that?...Right, naturally Machiavelli Giles couldn't let the underworld know his champion Slayer bit the dust..."

Giles was only tryin' to do the right thing by the new Slayers...the ghost frowned... "Will, the Slayers might've been easy targets before they were gathered and trained if the bad guys knew I'd died of my injuries at the Hellmouth that night..."

"Well, Nibs...Someone shoulda let us...Meanin' me...Know..."

"Well, you shoulda come to Rome and demanded to see me!...Some devoted-beyond-the-world's -end lover you are!..." Buffy called...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXX...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away"

on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long

as I like it, it's ok..."

London...The New Antiquarians' Hall of the Royal Council of Antiquarians and Library Scientists...

Feb 12, 2005...

"Buffy...My dear..." a suave voice in tones of protest... "Shut up, keep moving..." Uhnnn...A groan...

A number of Watchers, Observer trainees, and New Slayers looked at each other in confusion as a coldly furious Slayer Councilor General Buffy Summers, newly in from Rome, dragged a tall, devastatingly handsome youthful-looking man...My God is that?...One Observer nudged a colleague...Who nodded...Down the hall...

A couple of more experienced, old Council Watchers eyed each other, one pulling cell phone...

"Where is Chairman Giles?...He's not in his office..." Buffy curtly turned to one Watcher, Dobson, she knew well from her past training sessions with the new Slayers...

"He's in conference in the main chamber...Not to be..." he looked after her as she stalked off down the hall...Her companion firmly dragged along in her grip...

"That was the Immortal, right?..." one new Slayer hissed to her Watcher... "I believe so..."

"Aren't they...Like, together?..."

"Apparently the bloom is off the rose..." the Watcher, a tall, blonde, thirties-ish Englishwoman stared after the Slayer Councilor General...Now paused before a large, secured door, preparing to kick at it...

The Watcher allowed herself a rare moment of nonprofessional gossip...

"Myself, I never understood her predilection for vampiral lovers...Even souled or with records of service like His Benevolence..."

She and her charge pulled back as a summoned security team hurried in...The door at which Buffy gave another resounding kick now giving away...

Just as two of the security team members fired bolts of energy strong enough to bring down an elephant which struck her in the chest as she faced them...She losing her grip on the Immortal who, stunned a bit himself, staggered to the side...

"Bastards!..." she cried, struggling to keep her footing...

"Miss Summers?..." at the far end of the hall near the front door security station where equal chaos reigned following the Slayer Councilor General's sudden violent entrance a moment ago, a Watcher turned to a hurrying Dawn... "Is my sister?..." "Down the hall..."

I've called Security...he noted...They should be able to deal...he called to her as she rushed on...Pulling her cell phone and punching buttons...

"Giles!..." she spoke into it... "Hey, don't hurt her!..." she called to the force down the hall, now six heavily armed, large men and two hulking demons, facing a Buffy now on one knee, trying to regain her footing after two more direct shocks...

Watchers and Observers now busily trying to get their Slayer charges out of the hall and into training rooms...A number of the Slayers refusing to move, asking questions, several calling on the guards to stop or trying to speak to Buffy...

At the conference room door, Chairman Giles appeared, ordering the hall to be cleared in a calm, strong voice that penetrated all the way down the hall...

"Bastards..." Buffy gasped...

"Miss Summers is upset but she will be fine...Please clear the hall, go with your trainers!...Now!..." The hall cleared slowly...

He turned to the somewhat battered Immortal who shrugged... "It seems again we have a slight problem, my friend..."

"Giles..." Dawn came up... "I'm sorry I couldn't get word to you sooner...She wouldn't let me out of her sight..." she looked down at Buffy who stared up at her... "You..." she murmured...

"Doctor..." Giles waved to a woman now hurrying up the hall... Who pulled at a small black bag...And on halting in front of the Slayer, removed a hypodermic from said bag, tapping as she held it to light...

"Hurry and get her under as quickly as possible...There's no time..." the Chairman hissed... "Dawn, stay by her and..."

"No...No..." Buffy staggered to her feet...Another bolt striking her...

"Stop that!..." Dawn cried... "You'll hurt her..."

"You...Liar...You let them..." Buffy eyed her sister coldly as she went down again, the doctor moving to her...Two men waved in, grabbing an arm as the Immortal and Giles watched...

A sudden counter bolt threw doctor and guards back...Dawn, Immortal, and Giles turning...

"What is going on, Giles?..." Willow eyed him coolly from where she'd just materialized by Buffy...Having teleported at some risk from back inside the conference chamber on hearing Buffy's cries...

"Willow...Things have gone a bit wrong...But..."

"I see that..." she said dryly...Looking at Buffy who tried to rise... "Wil...They..." "Just a mo, Buf...Give it a sec...No one's gone hurt you..."

This time...she looked fixedly at Giles...

Xander now emerged from the conference room...Staring at the group and Buffy, half-kneeling on the floor...

"So this is... 'Taking care of poor Buffy's problems', Giles?..." he turned to the Watcher...

"Xander...Willow...You must understand...This was a minor relapse..."

"The major ones must've been something..." Willow replied... "Well, isn't it lucky this time we're here to help out?..."

"Willow...You and Xander haven't been around, you don't know the situation...You gotta let us handle it..." Dawn said firmly...

"We have...And we see how you guys have 'handled it'..."

"Willow...Xander...Don't let them..." Buffy gasped, rising to her feet...

"No, honey..." Willow shook her head...She moved to Buffy, putting an arm round her...

"They...All..." Buffy began, whispering, waving to where Giles and the Immortal stood...She paused and stared at Willow... "I can't remember...But he was real, not a dream...?"

No, honey...He was real...Willow nodded...

"Wil...Tell me...You and Xander didn't...You knew?...You let them...?"

Willow looked over her shoulder at Xander who sighed... "Buffy...We didn't know...Not until it was too late..." Buffy shook her head wearily...No...You, too?... "Buffy, believe me...If we'd been there...It was only because we thought it was done and would be too difficult to reverse..." he continued...

"What?...What did they...?" she grabbed at his arm...Staggering a bit... "What's happened to me?...Xander?..."

"Willow...For Buffy's own sake..." Giles began...

Let us do what we have to do...

"You said...Once was all, Giles..." Xander glared at him... "And that it would end things..."

I don't call this...Ending things...

Willow nodded...Eyeing the swelling ranks of security and recognizing a couple of reasonably magics-versed Watchers among them...

"Giles, tell your people to back off, stand down, or whatever the Brit equivalent is...I'm more powerful than any of them if I need to be but I'd have to hurt them..."

Giles reluctantly waved the group back...

"Xander..." Buffy gasped, still clutching his arm... "Tell me..."

"Buf...Lets go back inside before any of the goons decide to get heroic..." Willow touched her arm...

"No..." she pulled back... "I won't let you...You let them..." she started to back away...

"Please, Buffy...We didn't help them now...We didn't agree to it before...I won't...Xander won't...Let them do anything to you again...I swear..."

"Why?..." Buffy closed her eyes... "Why did you let them...Him...?" she eyed the Immortal, standing by Giles...

"Buffy...Like Xander says...It was done before we knew...We didn't approve but in the end we did hope it would help you...I'm sorry...But we won't let it happen again..."

"You...Even you guys...Would have left things..."

"Buffy..." Willow sighed... "You don't remember what things were like...After Sunnydale..."

"Buffy..." Dawn firmly called to her... "We did what was best for you...And you wanted some kind of help..."

"Help?..." Buffy stared, standing firmly now, rage restoring some measure of strength... "Did I ask for this kind of 'help'?...To have you...bastards...Play with my head?..."

Did I?...she turned to Xander... "Did I want this?...Whatever they did?..."

"You wanted help..." he paused...Looking to Willow...

"I wanted this...?" she touched her head... "I don't believe you...I..."

"Yes..." Giles took the opening... "Buffy, you needed our help and we..."

No...Xander cut him off sharply...

"No, Buf...Whatever 'help' you wanted in dealing with Spike and the past...I don't believe you wanted what was done to you..."

You were never too keen on mind control or memory washing...he eyed Giles...

"Spike?..." She stared at him, then Willow...Who nodded...

So that's his name?...

"Spike..." she repeated...

"I guess William is more appropriate since he got his soul back..." Willow smiled faintly...

Inside the conference chamber...

"You guys have ruined everything...We coulda helped her...Now it'll all fall down again...She'll be right back to where..." Dawn fumed at Willow...

"If it failed once, it will fail again..." Willow replied quietly... "And she did not consent to it, even you and Giles admitted that..."

"She wanted help...You did, Buffy..." Dawn turned to look at her sister, now seated by Willow and watching quietly... "If we didn't tell you what was to be done, it was because..."

"I would've said...No...No matter how bad I was...Whatever a 'state' I was in..." Buffy said quietly...

And you of all people should have known that...

"All of you knew that..." she looked round the room... "But it was easier to go along...Was I that much of a bother?...Was I cramping your lifestyles with my little problems?..."

"You were ready to..." Dawn paused..."We had to do something...Henri and his people offered us a chance to...We were trying to save you..."

"How was it done?..." Buffy ignoring her, turned to look at Giles, then the Immortal... "I thought you, your...Benevolence..." she spat out the word... "Didn't like magics..."

Or is the exception when you can't get a girl you want any other way?...

"It was not a spell..." Giles replied...Rubbing his forehead... "Buffy, you must believe...We saw no other way...We thought...We were sure...We'd lose you...And not just to Death again...You were near to embracing Darkness itself to be with William again..."

"Buffy...I love you...I only wished to..." Henri began...She did not look at him...Then spoke steadily and firmly...

"So... I 'was near to embracing Darkness'...To be with...This 'William' again?...I'd guess he was a vamp?...Did I love a soulless vamp and want to be with him that much?...I...No, he must've been...Hell..." she eyed the Immortal... "You're soulless and Giles swears on your sterling character...Though he has a blind spot for those who help him remove troublesome little problems..."

"He wasn't soulless..." Willow told her... "Not that last year, anyway...Not when..."

"He died..." Buffy nodded... "That much I guessed...And now, according to the report Henri got in Rome and what Andrew told me when I ferrited it out of him..."

He's back...After savin' all our asses and the world...Nearly dying with Angel fighting the Partners...And you'd had no plans to tell me...If I hadn't seen the report when your gigolo pal here got careless...And caught Andrew alone...

"It was over...He didn't come to you..." Dawn began... "And Giles sent the help that saved him and Angel..."

"He thought I was happy and settled...You heard Andy...He even came to Rome to check on me...And he...Didn't..." she turned to Willow...

"That part...I don't understand...I must've...But Andy said..."

Willow?...

"You told us...That you did tell him, just before...How you felt...But he...The soul..." she sighed...

I guess some guys just can't believe their good luck...she gave a faint smile...

"I see...Died not believin' me?...Yeah, that would've sent me for a loop..." Buffy nodded...

And got a soul for me?...Sounds like he had it bad...she smiled...

"Way bad..." Willow grinned...

Are there any...Pictures, letters?...she paused...Searching for a word...

"Poems?..." she blinked...Willow staring at her...As did Dawn...

"Did he?...Yes, he wrote poems..." she said firmly... "I remember...No...I don't..." she sighed...

Not a line...

"He read you his poems?..." Dawn looked at her...A slight something in her voice...

"I don't remember...Thanks to you...But the word clicks something in here..." Buffy tapped her forehead... "Was he any good?..." she turned to Willow...

Don't know...the Wiccan shrugged... "He never gave us a reading..."

"I want anything you have...And you have something...I see it in your face, Dawn...Giles...Get whatever you have of his...Ours...Here, now..."

You too, Henri...Whatever's at your place...It shouldn't take long to fly it in...

Or else...I will make you...she finished with a hard stare... "Do it, Giles..." Willow eyed him... "Or I will back her up..."

He pulled out a cell phone reluctantly and dialed...His Benevolence following suit after another hard glare from her...

"You too..." Buffy turned to Dawn... "You have things of his...Something...I want to see them..."

"I gave it all to Henri...Your stuff and anything I had...His people needed it for their processing and it had to be removed from your daily life..."

Buffy was silent, staring... "I said I want everything...You still have something and I want that too..."

He gave it to me...Dawn looked away... "It's mine..."

Xander eyed Willow...It was Dawn who convinced us not to interfere afterwards...Who else had her sis' best interests at heart?...

God, how could we've been so blind?...Even if I only got one eye...

"If it really is yours, you can keep it...But I want to see it..."

Dawn pulled up her purse and tossed a tiny plastic baby doll at Buffy who caught it...

"He won it for me...At a fair one night that summer...When you were gone and he looked after me...Before you came back..."

It's nothing to do with you...It's mine...He gave it to me...she repeated as Buffy looked at the doll carefully...And finally pushed it back to her...

Willow shook her head...Dawn...Oh, God...

I always wondered why you were so hard on him that year...Even after it was clear Buffy'd forgiven him and he'd done the impossible for her...And all the time...

Well?...Buffy returned to Giles, who'd finished giving orders...

"The things we have here about him...Are on their way..." he nodded...

"How was it done?...How did you cut him out of my mind?..."

"The Immortal's neurologic research institute at Geneva has done work on memory restoration and, as a consequence, memory removal since the 1930's...The process is highly advanced now and has been used as a therapeutic tool for the mentally and emotionally disturbed...He offered it to us as a way to save you from the past crushing you..."

"Oh...So our trip to your estate in Geneva wasn't quite the blissful vacation I'd thought it was..." she gave a cold smile to the Immortal...

"Believe me, Buffy..." Giles sighed... "We'd tried every other way short of magics...Therapy and counseling were useless...And we'd no idea he'd survived somehow until very recently..."

She put up a hand... "Can you restore what you took from me?..."

"No..." the Immortal shook his head... "This was not a spell...Your brain was physically altered to erase the memories...What was lost, is lost...It cannot be reversed..."

"And what you had put in?...Added...?"

He eyed her carefully...Giles hurriedly interrupting... "Nothing was done except to remove what had to be..." she waved him off...

"So, you didn't get permission from 'Father Knew Best' here for what you decided to have...Added, eh?..."

Added?...Giles looked at the Immortal...

"Nothing too serious, Giles...Don't go developing a moral sense over it..." she frowned at the Watcher... "But he was looking to smooth the path between us, weren't you...Lover?..." she glared at the Immortal...

"Mr. Giles and your sister came to me about this, my dear...It was their decision...As for new thought patterns...We only did what was necessary to allow your mind to fill in blanks and adjust to..."

"Did they also tell you to use what you gleaned from my mind to woo me?...God, I thought those sharp cracks you suddenly started making that night sounded too familiar, somehow...And out of character...Those were all his, right?...And his moves, too...The slow feeling me out...The hesitancy under the bravado...You aren't the hesitant type, Henri..."

And you don't know me that well on instinct...I could feel it when you ran out of material...she smiled...

Giles eyed the Immortal...

"He didn't have to 'glean' much, Buffy..." Dawn spoke up... "I gave him most of it...Described Spike and how you and he were to him...I thought it might help..."

"So..." Buffy eyed her coldly... "You loved him that much, huh?...No one remembers someone they don't care about that well..."

But your good friend...The Council's faithful ally for centuries...Had his own agenda, Giles...And was taking no chances in romance...

"And what cinches it for me is the fact that somewhere in here..." she touched her head slightly... "This little voice is telling me not to be too upset, forget and forgive, give my dear Henri another chance 'cause he's been so kind to me..."

And while I could see myself forgiving...Someday, if only because I'll have to forgive Dawn someday...And that means forgiving all of you...

I'd never want to forget...Never let myself forget...she frowned...

"I did what I could to make myself someone would could fill the gap..." Henri nodded... "I did, perhaps, encourage my team...In the interests of giving you a new focus and avoid thoughts that might cause problems...To follow a path that would leave you eager to embark on a new relationship...I did nothing to force myself to be the only possible choice..."

"So...Can what you added at least be identified, removed?...Or do I have to remove you...?"

"I...Can speak to my people...My specialists may be able to remove those harmless thought traces I requested..."

That's good...she nodded... "Get crackin' and have your people here with his stuff and their equipment within the hour...But your people will just tell me what was added as I've no intention of letting them in my head again...Willow, if you can operate their system, I may have you do whatever can be done later...I mean to be in LA by no later than 7pm tomorrow, if I have to teleport..."

And while we wait for his stuff, you'll all tell me everything you know...

"Buffy..." Giles tried...She waved him off...

A man entered bearing a large box...She indicated a spot in front of her...

Dawn looking at the box...

"Xander..." Buffy eyed him, pausing as she reached to open the box... "Tell me..."

Were we happy together?...Him and me?...

He stared at her a long time... "It was a hard relationship, Buf...Spike...Or William...Was what he was for a long time...Threatened us all many times before the Initiative got hold of him and he suddenly claimed he loved you...None of us liked the idea of you...And I can't say I came to think of him as a friend, even after the soul, though I respect what he must've overcome...But, he helped you that year you came back, when no one else could...There was something powerful between you...And, near the end that last year...And maybe even before that, a few times..."

Yeah, he sighed, then smiled...I saw you happy with him...Happier because of him...

She nodded... Thanks...She opened the box...

"A file of Giles' reports...I'll read that on the plane...Or before I go to him if you teleport me, Wil..."

Mom?...she stared at the photo of Joyce...

"He was very fond of her...Said she was always kind to him..." Dawn noted quietly...

She pulled out a pair of panties...These look like...?

"Yep..." Willow nodded... "He was a keeper...Though his last crypt got kinda blasted up and he lost a lot of his older stuff..."

A shame, I guess...Losing all that...But maybe better for the soul not to have it around, reminding him...

"No..." Buffy shook her head... "Losing memories is never good...However much they hurt...Losing them is losing a part of you..."

However appealing as a quick and easy solution it may be...she frowned...

And turned to Giles and Dawn...

"You and your pal here stole those memories from me...And now, no matter what happens between him and me...I'll never really know how I felt...All I can do is make the logical assumption that...If he won his soul back for my sake, died to save the world, and helped Angel defeat the Partners...He must have been, be a good man...If I cared for him so much and suffered for him so much that you chose to do this to me...I must have cared for him very much..."

And if you loved him so much, Dawn...To let this be done...she eyed her... "I can only think he musta been...Must be...Something special..."

"I'll borrow this with your files, Giles, if you don't mind..." she took a photograph of William from the pile...Dawn not looking at her...

Cute...she nodded... "When was this?..." "After he got the soul, had gotten over a little insanity and First brainwashing, and was helping you train the Slayer army...Andrew was taking pictures and videos of us for posterity..." Willow smiled wanly...

"He seems to favor black and red..." she looked at Willow... "Should I...?"

"He liked you in anything...But he seemed to favor you in light colors...And that hat..." Willow touched a photo of Buffy in ski cap... "Not that hat..." Buffy shook her head...Grinning slightly now... "Is it...?" she fumbled through the pile...Ah...And pulled the cap down over her head...

"He likes this, eh?..." With you under it, yeah...Willow grinned...

She looked at his photo again, carefully... "William?..." she asked tentatively...Willow nodding...

"William...Soames Walthrop..." Dawn mumbled...Buffy and the others turning to her...

"It's his human name...I looked it up..." she looked away... "He doesn't know...We never tried to find it out before...I imagine...He'd be happy to know you found it out..."

"William Soames Walthrop...Thank you..." Buffy nodded... "That gives me something I know'll be a surprise for him too for Valentine's Day..."

Now...She eyed them all... "At least I have five different perspectives on him...I probably should talk to Angel too before I go..."

If he isn't furious at me for following your lead, Giles...Hey?...she blinked..."Now I know why I was so willing to go along with the 'we can no longer place our faith in Angel, my dear'...bit..."...she grinned... "He gave us that amulet...The one Henri's report said William used..."

Geesh and all this time I thought I'd blasted the First off the map...she shook her head...

Ok...

"Each one of you tell me everything you know...From the beginning...With details..."

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

LA...Early morning of the final battle with the Senior Partners...

A scene of considerable devastation...Burned out cars, damaged and in some cases, burning buildings...To be reported shortly as the result of gang violence and ruptured gas lines...Fire trucks and ambulances only able to make their way to the outer fringes of the area...

Numerous bodies littering the area, though many in various stages of unusually rapid decomposition...And all but a tiny handful...Most of those unlucky innocents caught in the crossfire...Not exactly what one would call, human, in appearance...

And, all over the field of battle...Extending now for several city blocks from the Wolfram-Hart tower...Rounding up prisoners, attending to the demonic die-hards unwilling to surrender, collecting remains and materials for shipment and study, a horde of women, mostly, though not all young...Armed in the main with small, sharp pieces of wood...

On the street by the Wolfram-Hart tower, Angel staggered along, eyeing the battle scene, supported by Illyria, who'd just seen Charlie Gunn safely taken off to the nearest hospital by a group of the new Slayers whose sudden, near-miraculous arrival had turned the tide of what had seemed a hopeless fight into the final defeat of the Wolf, Ram, and Hart...

She made what sympathetic remarks she could glean from her Fredian memories, assuring her companion that his son was indeed safe...And on his way to join them...Gunn secure as well...

As for their other partner in the fight...No word as yet...

"William was badly injured when we were separated just before the Slayers arrived...But Ms. Summers is looking for him..." she noted...

"Then he'll be all right...If he is alive..." Angel nodded... "And happy, regardless...But lets try to find him..." he stumbled... "You've got to get some attention, Angel..." He shook his head...

" 'Sides..." she struggled briefly with the word... "Boss..." she gave her most Fred smile... "I'm pretty banged up myself, you gotta get me to a hospital...It's your duty as our CEO...Which you are for real, now..."

Buffy will find him...And would probably prefer to do it alone...she grinned at him... "We'll just be horning in..."

He smiled at her, nodding his thanks for her kind effort, but again shook his head... "I've got to try..." A grin... "He'd never let me hear the end of it if I left the battle before he was carried off..."

"But, you're right...We should let her try on her lonesome...So, lets head back down there..." he pointed...Eyeing her... "Are you ok?..."

Please...she frowned... "Very well, we'll search a little longer...But if you collapse again I will deposit you in the nearest transport..."

Say?...he glanced round...

What did they do with my dragon?...They did keep it for me?...he looked back anxiously...You did tell them?...he frowned...

Yeah, yeah...It's down that way...she pointed...

An alleyway three blocks to the south...Demon corpses everywhere...Many torn apart, in a rather distinctive style...

"William?..." A young red-haired Slayer stood by the body on the ground...A badly injured, but still moving blond-haired one... "William?...It is you, right?..."

He looked up vaguely... "I'm Claire, one of the Slayers...We're here to..." she looked up the alley as someone called to her...

"Buffy!...He's here!..." she waved...

Buffy?...he tried to turn... "Lie still, William...She's coming..."

"William?..." Buffy looked down at him... "It's him..." Claire nodded...

"We'd better get him to an ambulance..."

"Yeah...Go back down that way and see if you can get one through or get one as close as you can and then come back, with help...I'll try to call in and see if a helicopter can make it..."

"Buffy, there's still a lot of..." "I'll be fine...Go..." she smiled at the young Slayer, barely eighteen... "My guy here and me got some catchin' up to do anyway..."

Claire nodded and headed off...

Only puzzled a few moments later as she hurried along, looking for help...

She...Or both of us coulda carried him...Easy...

But I guess she didn't want to move him...

"William...Are you badly hurt?..." Buffy knelt by him...

"Only when I laugh, Slayer...Or cry...Or move...Or just lie still..." he smiled...Blinking at her...

You're here...You came...he whispered...

"Giles found out about Angel's scheme...His Benevolence confirmed the Partners' were moving to destroy him after he rebelled...We thought we'd best show up..." she looked him over...

And Andrew finally broke down when Giles called us all in to discuss the situation...she noted quietly...

She stared at him a moment...

"It was a shame you didn't come to Rome, Will...Things would have been so different..."

"I...Thought it was for the best, girl..."

"That was wrong...You should have believed me...Believed in me..." she sighed, eyeing him...And pulling out a cell phone...

"Hello?...Yes, it's me...Yes, the Partners are defeated...Yes, I found him...It's fine..."

William looked up at her...Trying to keep conscious...I mustn't pass out...It must not be a dream...I won't let it be a dream...

"He's badly hurt...Yes, Your Benevolence...I will..." she told the phone...William looking up at the title...

Well, doesn't sound too affectionate...he couldn't help smiling at the thought...

She put the open phone down and stared at him quietly...

"It is a shame you didn't come to Rome, William...Or stay when you did come...Everything might have been different if you had...But now, it's too late..."

"I see..." he nodded... "Well, nothing I didn't expect..." a slight groan...He twisted in agony...

"Are you in great pain?..." she looked at him... "Only my poor heart..." he smiled...

"His Benevolence would like you to know...He is sorry for you..." she said, in a flat, calm voice...That seemed drained of what faint emotion it had carried...

Really?...Bloody nice of the sob...William thought, glaring a bit but in too much pain to fully react to her now strangely emotionless manner...Her face quite calm and composed...Almost blank, in fact...

"As He was for me..." she continued... "Please believe that only the fact that such an opportunity...Through the Slayer Corps we brought into being, William...To bring universal peace...Will never arise again, would have led Him to take the actions He has..."

"Buffy?...What's..."

"And...He wants you to know...Nothing is intended personally..." she stared at him...Her face now completely expressionless...

"Buffy?..."

"But you are a potential threat, now that the Partners are gone and He can extend His benevolence over all the world..." she went on, speaking as if by rote...A lesson learned...

"Girl...What the hell is...?" he tried to rise a bit...No good...She gently restrained him with a firm hand...

"Please know your sacrifice is not in vain...Nor was mine...And His regret for us is sincere...But , though our sacrifices, He will unite the mortal and immortal worlds...Humanity will be cherished...Protected, under His benevolent guidance...Our goals, in the end, achieved..."

And for your own content...she paused...Pulling Mr. Pointy up as William looked up at her blank, emotionless face...

"I did fight Him, though this one time I was alone at the crucial moment...And there remains some part of me that will mourn you...He wants you to know that..." she staked him with a sudden move before he could try to dodge...And turned to the phone, still open beside her...Lifting it to her ear...

"It's done..." she told the phone, calmly... "You have the final proof of my utter devotion, Your Benevolence..."

As I destroyed him and gave my sister to your care, so I will deliver the Slayer Corps to you...And deal with Angel as soon as opportunity allows...

"Yes..." she replied to a question... "I should have no problems...There are still plenty of demons about...I'll go and find one, let him injure me, and bring his body here...No one will doubt my story..."

Yes, Your Benevolence...she nodded, listening carefully...Eyeing the ashes, now blowing away in the gentle breeze...

"There is a part of me that is very sad..."

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"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXII...

A shortie..

.PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Switzerland...One of the more incredibly luxurious castle-chateau homes of the famed Immortal...A little after 8am...

By the fabulous pool...Initially a natural spring-fed pond, beautifully enhanced by one of the world's great landscape designers...A lithe, blonde young woman, in the most haute of bathing suits and light robes, sheltered under a vast, stylish hat...Regarded with keen attention the remarkably handsome, tall, blonde, and muscular young man, engaged in setting up the area for the day, who'd just brought her a rather elaborate juice drink...

She lifted the hat slightly and gave him a smile from behind the most expensive of fashion sunglasses...Which he returned...With just the right level of impertinent appreciation...

"So...It's Joachim, right?..." she grinned...He nodded, setting the glass carefully on coaster on the table by her...

"You're definitely new here...And you look even better by daylight than last night at dinner..." she removed the glasses, tongue touching the outside of her upper lip...Looking him up and down...

"I hope to give the most satisfactory of service, ma'am..." he smiled...

Oh yeah...I'm sure you will...A wide smile...

"Will there be anything else, Ms. Summers...?"

"I dunno...Joachim..." a shrewd look, followed by another, more careful overview of his rather magnificent physique...

"Anything else you'd care suggest that I haven't...Tried...?"

He gave another smile..Again, just enough impertinence...

LA, downtown...Scene of the final battle with the Senior Partners of Wolfram-Hart, Inc...A little after 2 am...

A battered-but-rather-pleasantly-surprised-to-be-still-Undead Angel, carefully supporting an equally battered Illyria, eyed the rather gore-begrimed young Slayer who'd just come to him, several dozen other Slayers heavily engaged with the Partners' forces all about them...Many more Slayers...Some barely in their teens, a few well over fifty...Pouring in from various transports, both ground and air, by the minute...

"Mr Angel?...We've got Mr. Gunn to an ambulance, he's on his way to LA General, I think he'll be ok..." He nodded to her...

Maybe we'd better get you and...The Slayer eyed Illyria who gave a firm look back... "Dr. Burkle-Wyndham-Price..." Angel smiling faintly...

"...You and Dr. Burkle-Wyndham-Price out now..."

He frowned...Leave the field while he could still stand?...Bad enough to have to be rescued by the people who 'didn't trust him anymore'...

Nobly repressing the rather-of-his-old-human-days thought...And a bunch of girls to boot...

"We're quite all right, thank you..." Illyria answered for him...He nodding with another smile...Straightening a bit even as he felt Illyria do the same...

"Yeah...In fact I think it's time we pulled a few of your people back here and organized a final charge for the Hell portal..." he eyed the wavering ranks of the enemy... "These guys look ready to break to me..."

The Slayer grinned, shoving back strands of her long hair...Sounds like the Angel I vaguely remember, thanks to what our Counselor General passed on to us all on activation...

"I'll call Ms. Summers over...She's coordinating communication..."

"Buffy's here?...I hadn't seen..."

Ummn, no...Not that Ms. Summers...The red-haired, slight young Irishwoman shook her head... "The Counselor General wasn't able to come...This operation was ordered by Chairman Giles..."

Giles saved our asses?...Oh, now I am definitely going nowhere...

"Dawn?...This is Valerie..." the Slayer spoke into a cell phone... "Can you come over with the main transmitter...I'm with Mr. Angel by the corner tower..."

Angel smiling at the lilt in the young woman's voice... "Nice to see some of our own made the cut, miss..." he noted as she put the phone back on her holster belt...

"Nice to know the great Angel is one of our own..." she grinned back...Then looked down at her demon blood-smeared blouse, a tad embarrassed now...Ummn... "Sorry I didn't have a chance to change, sir..."

He waved a hand, indicating his own rather shredded garments... "We're strictly informal round here tonight, Slayer...The formal reception comes later, on the ashes of Wolfram-Hart..."

"Is there any word on William?..." Illyria asked... "He was surrounded the last time I saw him..."

"William?..." Valerie looked up at the word...Surprising the two by the sudden trembling in her face and the quaver in her voice... "No...And believe me, we're looking everywhere..."

"William!..." A call in the distance, echoed by several Slayers...Testifying to Valerie's statement...Angel frowning slightly...

Well...I suppose I should be pleased, in a vague way...Him being my grandson of sorts...

Always good to know a male descendant is a hit with the ladies...Long as he's souled and less likely to torture and massacre them...

"Lets close this party down...Then we'll find him...Alive..." Angel moved his stiff arms a bit and looked round for a weapon... "Spike has more lives than any cat..."

"Yes, lets go...I'm anxious to see our enemies trapped, unable to retreat, writhing in their last tormented agonies..." Illyria nodded...

"My boy?..." Angel turned back to Valerie as Dawn reached them with a couple of Slayers in tow, all lugging equipment... Hey, guys!...Dawn came to them, grinning...

"Connor's fine and on his way...But we will keep him back till alls clear...If we can.." Valerie smiled... "I hear he takes after his father, so I have me doubts..."

Hmmn...Angel eyed her... Slayer task force commander at her age and Irish to boot...And a perfect age...

Yes, we'll definitely do the formal reception/celebration thing after this, if it cleans out whatever resources the remnants of W-H has left...

I mean this modern, New World stuff about finding love on your own is all very well if you've Eternity to play around in...But there's something to be said for the Old World way...Yes, high time dear old Dad gave his son a helping hand in the romance department...

"Busy night..." Dawn noted, looking round at the Slayers, most now driving back their foes, who were starting to show clear signs of panic ...Dodging a piece of flying...What she preferred to think of in general terms as debris, rather than assorted body parts...

"Where's Spike?..." she looked round, a bit anxious...

"No word yet..." Valerie replied, she and the other Slayers looking rather downcast... "But Angel says we're sure to find him, soon as we shove the Partners' guys back to Hell...Which, if you'd contact the squad leaders for a concentration here...I think we're ready to do..."

Gotcha...Dawn nodded...Angel staring at her...

"She's the Buffy Summers' sister?..." Illyria hissed to him, eyeing Dawn as she spoke rapidly to a microphone in hand...

"Rather human...And young...To be out here...Why did the Slayer let her come alone?..."

"If I know Buffy...And I do...She didn't...I'd say Dawn sneaked into the nearest transport..." Angel smiled at Valerie...Though looking a bit down...

"Am surprised Buf didn't come, if even Giles was willing to help us out..."

"William will be disappointed..." Illyria sighed...Valerie biting a lip and looking away as she heard...

"The Counselor General has lots to do these days..." she hastily noted... "Actually the Chairman appointed Dawn our communications officer...After the fact of her being found on board one of our transports from London when we were setting down and it was too late to send her back..." a wry grin at the stowaway, now busy with her transmitter...

Angel watching Dawn as she spoke to the squad leaders, passing on the orders for a move to their own central location on the field...She giving a slight frown as she heard the group of them speaking...Especially at the mention of the 'Counselor General'...

"All set...They're moving to regroup here..." she pulled the transmitter headset back...Valerie nodding...

"Lets go, then..." Angel lifted a broken spear pole he'd spied on the ground... "Time to complete my extremely hostile takeover of this firm..."

Say, about?...he turned to Valerie...Who knew immediately...This being the fourth time he'd mentioned it...

"Your dragon corpse is fine...We've got it back there, safe..." she pointed...

Great...he beamed...As Illyria rolled her eyes...As if we didn't hunt them practically to extinction back in my day...Poor dumb beasts...Like flame-breathing dodos, really...

"Dragon?..." Dawn blinked...

Switzerland...same time...

Where the Immortal, having some early morning business matters to attend to, had applied his daylight protections...The only magics he allowed himself as an absolute necessity to participate in the human world he'd long ago pledged his loyalty and service to...A bit earlier than usual for him...

And emerged upon a scene which challenged even his imperturbably calm nature...

"Buffy..." he frowned at the two now occupying her reclining chair...

Oops...Hey, Henri...she grinned at his divinely handsome features from beneath Joachim...Who made a move to rise...Hastily...

"Joachim...Please return to your...Other duties..." the Immortal coldly told him...

"Just a minute, Joachim...Henri...I asked him to hang a bit...Keep me amused..." she noted, eyeing him coolly...Holding Joachim in place...

"Would you allow the boy to rise, please?...Dear?...I don't believe in embarrassing servants..."

Hmmn?... "Oh, sure...Sorry..." she nodded...Releasing a somewhat relieved Joachim...Who'd found himself gasping a bit in her firm grip...

Yes...Thank you... The Immortal eyed her...

"I think, perhaps, my dear...We should have a little privacy...We have some urgent matters to discuss..."

Oh?...

"Yes...Including your...Current condition..."

Henri...she sighed...

"Which appears to be deteriorating to the point where you forget yourself..."

She gave him an indulgent smile... "Now, Henri...You never minded it when my 'current condition' left me open to accepting some of your kinkier suggestions..."

He frowned darkly...

"And it's not like Joachim here is likely to hold my interest for more than a day or two..." she grinned...

"In fact, I'll probably need you to finish things...These hulky human types usually start off strong but can't go the distance..." Joachim blinking a bit...

"Joachim...You have other tasks to perform...Go to them...Now..." the Immortal waved him off...

"Hey...He had things to do here..." Buffy frowned...As Joachim hurried off into the house...

"Buffy!..." Henri snapped... "I do not appreciate talk like that in front of servants...You are, after all, no less responsible for your actions now than I am..."

And I expect you to behave with proper decorum...Even soulless I retain a sense of the proprieties as well as my famed degree of moral sense...

"I expect you...If only out of respect for who you are and for me...To do the same..."

She frowned now...

"No one's here but us today...And you've always told me to enjoy myself while I can however I can...That's what I'm doin'..."

"You are Buffy Summers, the Greatest of the Slayers...And Slayer Counselor General..."

"Semi-retired..." she insisted... "And I've never given a damn about my status on the Slayer hierarchy...Even in the old days..."

"Regardless...You have a position to maintain...And, as my guest, you might consider my feelings in this..."

"Fine...Sorry..." she waved a hand bearing a couple of rather remarkable and incredibly expensive rings... "Had no idea your Soullessness was suddenly takin' things so to heart..."

She eyed his impassive face...Sensing...Something surprisingly genuine in his upset...Her manner softened a bit...

"Sorry...Really...I wasn't thinkin'...I honestly didn't think it would bother you..."

"I hate seeing you acting beneath yourself..." he shook his head, taking a chair beside her... "And you're becoming less and less aware of it..."

I hate seeing how you've...Changed...

"Is that my fault?..." she replied coldly...

"If that is intended as an accusation..." he eyed her... "If you still suspect me..."

She sighed... "No..." she waved a hand... "I know you didn't have anything to do with it...Or you'd be dust now, believe me..."

But you were content with things when we started out...she noted...

"It didn't matter to you then..."

"I hadn't watched you change then...Or learned to care for you as I do..." he added..."And I have tried to help...Done what I could..."

Even if it might cost me...You...

"I know...And I'm grateful...For everything..." she smiled at him... "Especially for your help in keepin' my secret from the guys..."

I doubt Dawn and the rest would be able to bear it, if they knew...Even if I have managed pretty well...Done my duty when forced to...And found a reasonable degree of content...

Somehow I think they'd find my goin' vamp easier to take...she shook her head...

"Course...If they ever found out...And your people turned out to be right and even Willow couldn't help...You would probably be the first they'd blame...And come after..." she paused, blinking a little...

"That is not why..." Henri fumed again...

"I didn't mean that...Sorry...You know I can't help the way I am now...The way I act sometimes when I don't think...But I don't mean to hurt you or anyone..."

And, as best as I can now...I do care...Henri...she smiled at him...

"But not as much as for..."

"Memories of the old days, kiddo...When I was what I was...They stay with me, reminding me of how I once felt...I can't help that...But I haven't gone after him, even for ole times' sake...Give me that much at least..."

"Only because he'd know...In a second..." Henri frowned...

"Maybe...He did know me damned well, then...But even Dawn and the guys haven't guessed, however they may occasionally grouse at the reduction in time and attention I have for 'em these days...The main thing is, I haven't gone to him...And I might've, seeking what he might be able to restore to me, at least in part...At least in memories of how things were..."

Not to mention he's probably not doing too badly with Angel...Or wouldn't be once I started managing his career...

"If you do want..."

"We've been through this before...No...I don't want to stir up old sorrows...At least for him...I can't give him what he'd want and deserve...Not now...And not even then..."

It's best to leave things as they are in that relationship...As he seems to realize...she noted...

"Speaking of him...Or avoiding speaking of him..." Henri gave a sour look... "Leads to me to the urgent matter I spoke of..."

"Well?..."

"Giles called me just now...Your phone was off..."

Oh, right...she grinned... "I didn't wanna be disturbed for a few minutes..." Pulling the phone...Then sighed... "So, things not going so well in LA this?...What time is it in LA?...Morning?..."

"Fairly well, the battle seems likely to be won...By our forces..."

Yay...she grinned...Then her face clouded slightly...

"Hope he isn't too disappointed...But I couldn't go and let him find out about me...Even if he wouldn't tell the guys...And the Slayers might even have sensed it if I hung round them too long..."

Still...If they really need me...a slightly bored tone...

"Dawn's joined them..." Henri eyed her...

Oh, crap...she frowned...

"Well...Nothing I shouldn't have expected when she insisted on staying in London instead of heading back to Rome...But Giles might've kept a better eye on her..."

Is she?...An exasperated tone...

"Fine, so far...They're keeping her away from the fighting..."

"Great...Then no prob...And William will be glad to see her there...They had some issues that last year after Spike'd tried to rape me the summer before...It'll be nice for him..."

"You aren't going?...To be sure?..."

"Dawn's a big girl..." she waved a hand... "And you said they're keepin' her out of it...I don't want to risk it unless I really have to..."

"Your own sister, Buffy...Even putting emotion to one side...Your friends and family are sure to wonder..."

"Captain of my..." she paused... "Fate...Henri...Let 'em wonder...They were happy enough to accept things when I suddenly stopped moping around about William and 'moved on'..."

"Have you considered?...Your wiccan friend might still be of help..."

"Your people said it was hopeless without knowledge of the method...Or where it went to..."

Telling them would only hurt them...And I've no desire to hurt anyone...Or have them fretting over me, spoiling what's become a rather pleasant existence for me...

He shook his head...

"As I say...If the situation goes bad, Dawn has my number...I've got your stuff...I can teleport to LA in a few seconds...Don't worry about it..."

Though it does you credit, soulless guy...she grinned...

"Now...Go and get your Slayer a nice present to make up for that little snit just now...Something diamondy, I think...Yeah...Try to surprise me..."

"And I think it's time we did a little shopping spree in Paris...I'm getting bored with the sticks..." she noted...

Frowning but resigned, the Immortal headed back into the great house...

A buzz drew a frown as she lay back...Damn...

"Yes?...Yeah, Giles...What...Ok, so you've sent all the Slayers you could to LA...Great...Hmmn?...No, I do not intend to go unless I absolutely hafta...Hey, he showed some common sense and chose the sensible course of not bothering me, why should I stir up old troubles?...Really?...Yeah, Henri told me..."

Sure I knew she wanted to go...She wanted me to go...But as I said...

"Giles...She's old enough to decide things for herself...If she wants to go and see Spike that's her..."

Yeah, yeah...she sighed... "Look, you sent a horde of Slayers, right?...She'll be fine...She has my number if she gets into trouble..."

And I'm not her mother...

"Got my own life to lead, Giles...But if things go south there, you know you can give me a call...Henri's got what I'd need to teleport...So, no problem...See ya, bye..."

God...

Hmmn...She looked over where a door on the patio had opened...

A slightly nervous-looking Joachim apologetically bearing a few more setup items...

Hey...she waved...He nodding slightly as he hurried about his duties...

"You got sibs, Jo?..." she called over...Who nodded briefly... "Mine's not even real and nothing but trouble...Well, anyway..."

Another buzz...

Crap...she frowned... "Oh, Buffy, our rears and the world's are in danger and you gotta come save us...For free..." she sneered to herself...

Ummn...No...I mustn't think like that...I would go...If they...If he...Needs me...

Though nothing says I gotta go running just cause Dawnie wants to play with her old babysitter...

Hmmn...I wonder...Sounds like my artificial sis is indulging a little romantic fantasy...They were alone together a lot that summer when I was gone...

Before I came back...Feeling...Almost as I do now...Nearly as lost...Nearly as...Dead inside...

But back then I had him to bring me back to life for real...And I wasn't really...What I feared...

What I am, now...Hmmn...

Maybe the thing is...Then I feared it...Now...

I accept it...Don't mind it...Maybe even...

Prefer it...

At least the pain's gone now...Except for the memories...And the dreams...

Another buzz...She rolled her eyes...

Gotta be Xander...Well, if he's so concerned about poor lil' Dawnie, let him go...she sighed and opened the phone...

"Hey, Xander...What's up...?"

Worst of it is, even soulless I can't say no...Professional that I am...

LA...

Far down off the main street the Slayers were massing on, in a small alleyway littered with non-human corpses, in the midst of the enemy forces...

A feeble groan as a slight blonde young woman in jeans and white blouse tore through a pile of rubble and corpses to reach...Buried in the heap...

"Uhhhnnn..."

"William.." a whisper barely a breath...

"Oh, William..."

He looked up...Hey, she smiled down at him...

"Buffy..." he whispered, then fainted...

He woke to find himself being gently carried in...He looked up at her face...Yep, my Buffy's arms...Definitely not the First, very likely a fantasy as I lie in a pool of my own blood, waiting to die...She halted...Lowering him...

A repressed moan came from him...Through clenched teeth...

"Will, you're in pain?..." she asked anxiously...

"Not since I saw you..." he smiled faintly...Then groaned again...

"All right, I'm lyin'...But I am better..."

She looked round...Still deep in enemy country, though the ones flying by their alley didn't seem any too bent on hunting them...Or on anything but saving their asses...

"I'll try to get you to where the Slayers are...The other Slayers...Just set a mo while the crowd back there flees by..."

I'm sorry I don't have anything...she began...

"Gifts aren't required, girl..." he grinned... "Though in my human day, on formal reunions of old lovers, a personal token..."

"I meant something for the pain, dope..." "I know..." he nodded...

"...'Sides..." she beamed... "I woulda thought I was gift enough..."

"Oh, yeah..." he smiled back...

Hmmn...He eyed her a second...

Wait a mo...

Ummn...She looked at him, realizing...Shoot...

"Hey, look at all these dead demons...And all the ones running by..." she tried... "I'll bet you sense 'em all over..."

He frowned...

"Nice outfit..." she smiled...Tapping his new jacket...His traditional black, but clearly not taken off either a dead Slayer or a department store rack... "Angel's been doing right by ya, I see..."

"Who are you?..." he cut her off, glaring at her... "You're not human..." He started trying to wriggle out of her arms...Groaning as he did...

Ummn... "Don't get upset, Will, you thrash around, you'll get hurt...I am Buffy..." she set him down gently... "Please, honey...Don't move around like that..."

"Buffy...was human last I checked in Rome..." he gasped out, pausing in his efforts to rise...Sensing...With a puzzled look...

"See, you sense the soul, don't you?..." she nodded eagerly... "I'm not a demon, Will...Well, not a full-fledged vamp demon...The soul's right here..." she touched her chest...

"You're transformed?...Buffy...?" he stared in shock...Then frowned...

"Girl, for Christsake, how could you be so stupid?...You, the Greatest Slayer of all Time?...The Slayer I suffered hideous agonies for..."

And that before my impromptu roasting at the Mouth...

Ummn... "I do have a soul...You are sensing it, right?" she tried... "And there's a little more to it...If you'd let me..."

"I leave you alone for a year and...Are you trying to tell me you let him transform you?...Is this the new European way of politely telling me you're looking for an immortal threesome with the Immortal and me, demon girl?... 'Cause if it is..."

William...she frowned...

"When did he do it?...How?..." he cut her off... "And why did your idiotic friends and that worthless dolt of a Watcher of yours take their eyes off you for a second while that Immortal pile of shit got his hooks into..."

"The Immortal guy?...Oh, no...This happened a while ago...About three years to be more precise..."

On my world...she eyed him...

Your?...World?...he blinked...

"Your freakin' what, girl?...Are you tellin' me you're not my Buffy Summers?...You're some demon bitch from another dimension, with some miserable lout of a soul, wearin' her..."

Great...he fumed..."So I rate Buffy the Doppelganger, eh?...Sounds about what...I'd..." he tried to raise himself again...Uhnnn...

"Stop it, Will...You'll hurt yourself...There's nothing to get so upset about...I am Buffy... Just let me explain..."

Well...ok...she gave a sheepish look at his hard stare...

"Not exactly your Buffy..." she eyed him... "Not 100% per se...Though my soul is..."

What?...he blinked...

"See...The thing is William...Like I said...I am a Buffy...And I sure as hell love you..." she beamed...

But...

"So, then..." he stared at her... "You're a Buffy...But you aren't my Buffy?...I mean, the Buffy I know?..."

"Oh, yes...I am..." she earnestly noted...Ummn... "Well, in part..."she hesitated... "It's a little difficult to explain..."

"Seein' as we're likely going nowhere till that crowd up there thins..." he nodded towards the street, where another horde of rather panicked-looking demons was now passing in near-stampede...

"Well..." she sighed...

See, after I had to flee my world...Everybody in the old gang on that Earth being kinda pissed at me after I killed my Willow's girlfriend, Tara...And came through this interdimensional portal I created from Giles' books...

"I got pretty damned good at magics on my Earth by the way..." she noted... "Back when I was still human I was tryin' to raise you from the dead on my world when I got caught by this nobody piss-ant human villain, a guy named Mears and his vamp ally with my guard down..."

But that's another story...she noted his frowning look...

Anyway, evil demon me got through the portal in one piece and found out there was a Buffy here, alive...

"So, naturally, my first thought was...After 'oh, please let there be a William around', that is...Ambush and kill...Try and take her place using magics or somethin'..."

I know...Stupid plan...she sighed, waving a hand...

"Demons, ya know?..." a feeble shrug... "Not all that imaginative as to battle plans..."

"But then I heard about you...You're the talk of the underworld here, Will..." she beamed proudly... "Even the most evil fiends teared up talkin' about how you overcame your dark nature to love and help me...And won your soul back...And died for me...Well, for a Buffy..."

Wow...she shook her head... "My Earth's Will was great too, but he died of TB six months after Willow and I helped him drive Spike out and regain Humanity..."

The Humanity quest ain't all it's cracked up to be, believe me...she noted...Though we were very happy those six months...

"I know, digressin'...Sorry..." she waved a hand... "Just wanted you to know where I'm comin' from..."

So...I heard all this...And heard that you'd just come back once again from the dead, still with the soul...Though you weren't with Buffy...And one of my sources...

"Well, ok...It was Harmony...I called Wolfram-Hart and pretended to be this Earth's Buffy...She told me you were babblin' crap about pure sacrifice but you were just sure I...She...Didn't really want you and you were mainly just too scared to risk it..."

She also gloated that she'd never tell you I called and that sort of thing, her being Evil and all...That was last November...Did she ever?...

Didn't think she would...

"Bein' a practical girl...Of necessity...I saw my chance and went for it...One of my sources had told me...My demon me...About your demon soul-restoring god in Africa...I figured...Knowing how much a soul would mean to you...Hey, what better intro gift for one's souled guy?...Not to mention a sure-fire conversational topic to break the ice..."

And if this world's Spike could do it for love, believe you me, Annie...My demon self...Wasn't about to be caught nappin'...

"With a leetle...Persuasion..." she grinned...Ummn...she noted hastily... "I didn't kill him, even demonic Anne knew you'd want a soul-restoring god around in case of problems or for Dru or such...Anyway, I got a soul back and as Buffy again, headed out to find you..."

Though, havin' a soul...Life becomes complicated again...Ya know?...she eyed him...

Oh...Yeah...he nodded...

"I kept runnin' into people in danger and all...And havin' a soul again, I couldn't just leer at 'em and join in the killin'...I had to help...And I had to be careful not to attract attention and have this Earth's human Buffy and the guys gettin' wind of me..."

And I realized I was feelin' a little strange...The soul seemed to carry its own baggage, apart from the usual hideous remorse and all, I mean...It seemed almost to have had its own life...And memories...Memories I knew were different from what I'd known on my world...

"So I did stopped to do some consultin' with experts, such as they were...Figurin' I'd best get my act together if I was gonna win you to this deal once you knew just who I was...Though, naturally with the soul back I was ready to step aside if you and your Buffy were...You know.." she shrugged... "But, as Buffy and you still didn't seem to be makin' moves on each other...In fact, from what I was hearin'...She was actin' kinda strange...Not her old self...Kinda cold to the old family, keepin' from them...Even Dawnie feelin' neglected, according to what I heard via some guys I got to magically tap phone lines..."

And then, after going through all the available help at hand...I found out...

Hmmn?...he stared...

"They...The folks I consulted...Including some vicious but very learned demon monks in China... Weren't sure if we all have just one Soul across the universe's dimensions...Or if souls get blocked in interdimensional summonings or what...But the bottom line was..."

When I got my Buffy soul in Africa...I kinda...Sorta...

"Completely unintentionally, I swear..." she put up a hand...

Though I can't say about your demon god...I did get the impression he was laughin' at me behind my back when I left...

"You took Buffy's soul?..." his voice went from shock to vivid rage in less than five seconds...

"Hey, it's my soul, too...Ummn...Or now...I mean, I am the soul, mainly...It's the demon body I took..."

Or got stuck in, whatever way you chose to look at it...she sighed...

"So you see, Will...I really am mostly your Buffy...Just the physical body and mind weren't mine...This Earth's mine...Though very, very close..."

"But...My...The Buffy of this Earth?...Is she...? What?...Demonically human now?...A zombie?...Some kind of murderous human fiend...?"

Which might well explain the lack of attention yours truly has been gettin'...Me not for one second believin' Andrew kept my secret for more than thirty seconds on his return...

"Oh, no...She's still human and all...Just soulless now...And actually doin' pretty well...Probably about as happy as a soulless type can be..."

"So, she's evil now?..."

"Nooo..." she frowned suddenly...Geesch, Will...This is me we're talkin' about...

"Not evil...And she still fights the good fight...Occasionally, at least...It's just...Without the soul, she's not quite as into the incredible compassion and selflessness thing...She kinda takes it a little easier now...Especially when it's not a world-saving crisis..."

And maybe she's a little colder to Dawn and our friends...Not all that concerned about you and your fate...Not willing to stick up for poor Angel when Giles insisted he'd sold out to Evil, Inc...

"But hey, instinct and memory alone...And her natural good sense and desire to stay on the winning side...Keeps her on the Light side...Don't worry..."

He eyed her narrowly...

"If you really were...If you have my girl's soul in there..."

"I'd never allow it to be kept from human Buffy, right..." she sighed... "And for a while I was gonna stick myself and send me back to the human host...If I could be sure she'd get the soul back, of course..."

No point in dustin' only to find myself back off to Heaven and soulless Buffy without me to watch her...

"But then I checked on her, unseen, and she hadn't become some kind of human Angelus...And you, despite that little rendezvous with Harmony..."

Of which she happily gave me full details...A hard frown at him as he tried to look somewhere else...Ummn...

"Weren't with anybody...God, sorry as I was for you being alone, I sure was happy to hear that..." she smiled... "And I thought, hey...If I do go back to human Buffy...The merged me-human host is sure to start in again with all the usual reservations as to you and me...Much as she...I...We...do love you, Will..."

And the biggest of prob of all...the long vamp lifespan...You'd only have me for a few years before I'd be the one to go dust...In slo mo, but still...Then you'd be alone...For God knows how long...Or you'd have to find a way to go human...Or even...She pantomined a staking...

"It's not fair to you...And now I had the perfect solution, thanks to my dimension-bridgin' demon..." she smiled...

But...he struggled to rise... "You can't mean it...You'd leave human Buffy without a soul?...Her soul..."

"Hey, 70% of my demon and human experts say it's my soul as much as human Buffy's...And of the rest, 80% say I at least have a valid claim to make on it..."

He frowned at her...Wincing a little at the pain of sudden motion...

Aw...Will...she sighed... "You know I'll do whatever's right in the end...But after I heard about you and Angel takin' on the Partners, I had to make sure you were safe and I wanted to talk this over with you first..."

After all, if I stay with the vamp bod...she raised a forefinger to his glare...Now, hear me out...

"We can stay together, no complications...And this world gets an Immortal Slayer...With a very compassionate soul..."

And human Buffy knows, I think...she noted... "At least about lacking the soul and all...I think that's why she's been running off with the Immortal...Keepin' away from Dawn and the guys..."

She likes her life now...Much as a soulless human can like anything...

"If you are a soul...If you're not lyin', fooling my senses somehow..." he began... "Then you know I can't agree to this...Even if it's true that Buffy...You...Won't exactly be raring to renew our relationship..."

Yeah...she sighed...I knew you'd say that...Then beamed... "You are a good man, William..."

So...she sighed...

Looks like you oughta be safe here...she handed him a cell phone... "Giles' Council number is the first one...He can relay the call to someone here...They'll pick you up..."

"You wanna do the honors...?" she eyed him...Offering a stake...

I can't guarantee 100% I'll wind up in human Buffy...But my experts did kinda think it would work out...she noted...

Ummn...he stared at the stake in her hand...

"Right..." she nodded... "It was a little mean of me...Sorry...I'll go back there and do it myself..." she waved at the back of the alley...

Bye, sweetie...she bent down over him to kiss him... "I am Buffy, Will...Everything important...And I do love you...I want you to know that..." she rose...

Wait...he whispered...Trying to rise a little...

"Don't William..." she hastily knelt back down... "You'll hurt yourself...I'm ok with this...I knew in my heart I'd hafta..."

I just wanted to see you again...See you safe...she smiled...And tell you how much I do love ya...Without the human complications gettin' in my way...

"We'll catch up together in Heaven...Look for me at those pearly gates when you come...I'll be wearin..."

"Wait, Buf..." he put out a shaky hand... "There's no need to do it that way..."

And no need to do it alone...he eyed her...

"Lets see the dawn together..." he smiled at her... "I've no pressing plans this morning..."

"William...You have so much to do...A life to regain that you deserve to live...And if you're startin' to get all noble you're obviously feelin' a little better and not likely to die from these wounds..."

A little...he nodded, grinning as he managed to sit up...She tried to get him to lie back but he waved her efforts off...Taking her hand...

Listen, Buffy...

"Girl...Endless centuries alone condemned to being Angel's undead, wisecracking sidekick is hardly what I'd choose to call...Life...Even Unlife..." he grinned... "Suppose we leave it to God...The miserable soddin' bastard..."

If he makes me or better yet both of us human before dawn...We'll graciously stay on and try our best to defend and better his pathetic little world...

If not...Wherever we go, we go together...

"Will..." she frowned... "I didn't come here to get you to commit suicide with me..."

And one of us should keep an eye on human Buffy...In case I don't wind up back there...

"If you go, girl..." he shook his head... "I go...Buffy, there's no life for me here, alone...Only with you, wherever that is..."

"'Death, only death, can break the lasting chain;

And here, ev'n then, shall my cold dust remain,

Here all its frailties, all its flames resign,

And wait till 'tis no sin to mix with thine'..." he quoted...

"That's..." he began...

"'Eloisa to Abelard'...Alexander Pope...I know..." she beamed... "I put it on your tombstone on my world after you died...Say, you are feeling better..."

He stared at her...

"It was a favorite of yours...And I've done my damnest...As demon or human...Souled or soulless...To live up to it..."

Girl...he smiled up to her, taking her hand...

"You do believe me, then...?" she eyed him... "That I am..."

I believe you...he nodded... "I'd know that soul in any body..."

"Whoa..." a familiar voice chuckled at them...He tried to look over...She staring...

"Now that is romantic, guys..." Buffy smiled coolly at them from just up the alley...

Hey, Will...she nodded to him...Putting down a large orb, now black and drained...

"Nice to see you still kickin'..."

And you...she turned to her twin... "So I imagine I have you to thank for my new outlook on life...?"

"Buffy..." vamp Buffy/Anne eyed her... "Will's not up for this sort of thing...If we're gonna fight or anything..."

Human Buffy rolled her eyes... "Fight?...Sweetie, your demon is showin'...I don't wanna fight...It ruins clothes and might potentially lead to Death some bad day...Not to mention beauty-marring scars that might not always heal so well..."

But you're right...she nodded, looking William over... "He does look bad...We best wind things up quick...If he'll be sensible..."

Though I thought you two were planning a big flame-out in a couple of hours?...That can be painful too, ya know...A grin...

"Now William..." she came closer to him... "From what I heard before I butted my lovely blonde head in on this tender scene...You were taking the noble road again...Heroically insistin' that..." she eyed Buffy/Anne...

"Buffy..." Buffy/Anne firmly noted...

"Right, Buffy-vamp twin...Must give up the soul to me...And you, whoever you are...Buffy-twin from another world..."

Seemed to be insanely bent on provin' your devotion and essential souled niceness by makin' the ultimate sacrifice...For me as well as our guy?...

"Thanks...Sis?..." the human nodded with another cool smile...

But suppose...Will, just suppose... That I'm content with things as they are...

"Suppose...For what I chose to call...Whatever...Love, affection...Or the memories of the same...I'm good to go on lettin' you keep Buffy the Soul in there...To be with you..." she nodded at Buffy/Anne... "And leavin' me to move on with my life...Soulless or no..."

Call it my way of payin' you back for all you've done for me...And for the sake of what I...What I still at least remember I...Felt for you...

He shook his head weakly...

"If you were yourself, Buffy...You'd never agree to this...What about your family, the friends, the Nibs?..."

"They haven't seemed to get too upset about me the months since Buffy the Soul Sucker vacuumed me soulless...I'd say they've excepted the new me as a natural thing...Growin' up, developing my own interests...Getting freakin' bored to tears with the same old, same old...In any case, it was better than the way I'd been since Sunnydale..."

Even you woulda believed in me if you'd seen then...she smiled... "My new, detached and poised style was a definite improvement from their pov..."

"I can't go along, Buf...This is wrong and I'm more...Not less...Sure of it since soulless you came in..."

Mmmphf...she frowned...Then eyed Buffy/Anne... "Some guys..."

"He wants to do the right thing by us, Buffy...And I suppose he's right..." the vampiress sighed... "We know he's right...Though at least now he knows we did try to be with him..."

"William..." human Buffy looked at him... "I'm warning you...Even if this succeeds and she pops right back in me...The practical, sensible, for-want-of-a-better-word, soulless side of me will win out on this...Much as my soul loves you...And even I, who can't exactly get all that het up over anybody now, cares, sympathizes, and would like to have you around...Especially if you stay with Angel and his new Wolfram-Hart at a salary that might keep me..." she grinned...

"But in the end, all the things that kept me from trying to help you before you got the soul...From dying with you at the Mouth, from trying to bring you back from the dead...They'll be still be there..."

I tried to bring him back from the dead...On my Earth...Buffy/Anne noted... "Good for you..." human Buffy nodded...

"I get the picture...Still no picket fence in our future..." he sighed... "But...What about the Immortal?...What's he got...?"

"He's soulless...With a kinda moral sense and a healthy appreciation of the practical benefits of fighting for the winning side...He understands me and he knew right away when I suddenly lost the soul...Even offered to try and help, though not knowing the method there wasn't anything he could do except help me conceal it from Dawn and co...He doesn't expect or demand too much from me, as you would William... We get along..."

And he's got all the wealth and power necessary to keep this soulless Slayer girl in style...she smiled faintly...

"Maybe it'll be different now..." Buffy/Anne noted... "I've made him believe I love him...Maybe I'll convince us that we can try to love him once this body's dust and we reunite..."

"Maybe..." human Buffy shrugged... "But given past history, I wouldn't put money on it...And there's the pain we'd cause him...That's been blocking us as well...He'd have us for a few years, then...Alone again..."

And duty would press him to stay on...We'd want him to look after everybody...He'd get all noble the way he does now, and stay...

"I kinda figured the same..." Buffy/Anne nodded...

"So...Will, you can either agree to this..." human Buffy turned to him... "And let us work out some way to tell the guys..."

No?...she eyed his shaking head...

"Well...Then there's the other solution..." she sighed...

Buffy/Anne tensing a little...Human Buffy eyeing her...

Hey...she frowned... "I don't mean...That...In my soulless way I love him too, ya know...I got the memories, if not quite the heart...And I know what I owe him..."

She looked fixedly at Buffy/Anne...Oh...hh...That solution...the vampiress nodded...

"What?..." William looked at the Buffies...

"Are you sure?..." Buffy/Anne asked... "Yeah..." human Buffy nodded... "It's the best way...But be quick...Dawn and the others are gonna be here any minute..."

"But can we be sure...?" "If you wind up in Heaven, William will take care of her...And she'll go to Africa, I've no doubt...She already did once, right?..."

Yeah...Buffy/Anne nodded, smiling...

"Buffy..." Will tried to rise, suddenly realizing... "Don't..."

Human Buffy knelt and cocked her head to one side, waiting...Smiling as gently as she could at Will for a moment...

"There's only room for one Buffy here, my...Our...Love...But it will be my body...And our soul...Minus the complications...Hurry..." she glanced at Buffy/Anne...Who headed over towards her...

No...he tried...Geesh, Will...she frowned at him..

"Just for once, accept a gift instead of insisting on being the giver...I don't know about sis here but I know I'm making a big effort on this one..."

Lets get crackin' sis...she smiled at Buffy/Anne who reached her now...

"Will, if we don't reunite right away, make sure you call Giles and have him warn Dawn and the Slayers...We'll get away and make it to Africa, don't fret...Though I hope things go the quick way...If they do, we can go vacation somewhere together a week and then just say some vamp got me while I was tending you and you somehow got me to Africa... "

And my strange behavior these past months was just my poor sufferin' heart workin' things out...she smiled...

"Which is more or less true..."

Buffy/Anne paused by her, waiting...

"Tell Henri...The Immortal..." human Buffy smiled... "It was fun, a real blast...But I had to follow my..."

Soul...I think He'll understand...

"I do love you, too, in my way, Will...It is what I want...I remember how I felt...And I want to be free to feel that way again...Pain or no...With you...Forever..." she noted quietly...Motioning to Buffy/Anne who bent over her...Took demon face and sank fangs...

Stake at her side in hand, ready...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXIII...

A shortie..

.PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...(and of course, Cole's)

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

An alleyway in LA...Late evening...

(Night and Day, Cole Porter...)

Play

"Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom

When the jungle shadows fall...

Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock

As it stands against the wall...

Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops

When the summer shower is through...

So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you...

Night and day, you are the one

Only you beneath the moon or under the sun

Whether near to me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are...

I think of you...

Day and night, night and day, why is it so

That this longing for you follows wherever I go

In the roaring traffic's boom

In the silence of my lonely room

I think of you

Day and night, night and day ...

Under the hide of me

There's an oh such a hungry yearning, burning inside of me

And this torment won't be through

Until you let me spend my life making love to you

Day and night, night and day ...

Night and day, you are the one

Only you beneath the moon or under the sun

Whether near to me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are

I think of you...

Day and night, night and day, why is it so

That this longing for you follows wherever I go...

In the roaring traffic's boom

In the silence of my lonely room

I think of you

Day and night, night and day ..."

Illyria stared at William as his cd player stopped...Angel and a staggering Gunn staring briefly as well...As the tiny group braced for contact with the horde bearing down on them...

"That is your battle song?..." she eyed the blonde vampire...

Yeah...

Hmmn...she reflected...Raising spear as the ground shook and the first blasts of fire from the dragon approaching set trash cans ablaze around them...

"It's a good song..." she nodded...May I?...

"Be my guest..." he grinned...She pressed play...

"Night and day...Wesley...You are the one..." she began...

London...Same time...

"...Only you beneath the moon or under the sun

Whether near to me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are...

I think of you...

Night and day..."

The music paused...

"Hope that kinda says it all, Giles..." Buffy's voice came from the tape player... "By now I'm in LA..."

"Sorry to have stolen that orb from the archival vaults but I couldn't get hold of Willow and there wasn't time to fly after Andy told us at the meeting this morning about him being with Angel..."

And sorry to have lied about agreeing it was best not to go ...I knew you'd try and stop me...

"Forgive me for doing things this way...If anything goes wrong...My own call..."

Tell His Benevolence...I'm sorry...But I think he'll understand I had to go...

"Love ya...All..."

Ummn...If you do manage to reach Willow...

Nairobi...Same time...

"...Whether near to me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are...

I think of you...

Day and night, night and day, why is it so

That this longing for you follows wherever I go

In the roaring traffic's boom

In the silence of my lonely room

I think of you

Day and night, night and day ...

Under the hide of me

There's an oh such a hungry yearning, burning inside of me

And this torment won't be through

Until you let me spend my life making love to you

Day and night, night and day ..."

Kennedy shut off the repeating CD player...Turning to a Willow sitting on the floor of the supervisor's lodgings of the Council of Watchers' new but rather solidly built, African headquarters...Several African Slayers in attendance in the room...Some frightened, some kneeling by Willow...All visibly upset and sobbing...

"Willow...I am so sorry..." the Slayer moved to her, putting hands on her shoulders...

"I should have known right away by the tone in his voice...I should have guessed...It's been almost a year to the day...I should have been here..." Willow murmured...Stroking the dark hair of the head in her lap...

Xander...she whispered...For the third time unfolding and trying to read a brief note...


	4. Chapter 4

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXIV...

A shortie..

.PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

(Think the last scenes of Coppola's adaptation of "Dracula" for this one...)

Transylvania...February 2005...

The grim and forbidding ancestral castle of the legendary Dracule, guardians of Romania and protectors of the Church during the early years of the Turkish conquest...

Not so well liked afterward...

Home of the famed Prince Vlad of the Dracule...

No, not that twit from S5...He was only the Immortal One's worthless grandnephew...

Vlad Dracula...First vampire to achieve a kind of redemption...And in our modern world better known as that captain of Eastern European industrial/scientific revival...And bestseller author...

The Immortal...

Unfortunately...Despite the sincerity of his efforts at a sort of redemption...And his recovery of a certain ability to judge right and wrong, making him, unlike your typical Evil-driven vamp, responsible for his actions...

Love...In the form of what he at least believes to be his reincarnated Princess Elisabeta, the wife whose loss drove him to his dark fate...Has led him a bit off the path of true redemption...

Having, in order to gain the strength to woo his beloved in daylight during his weakest moments, a little escape clause granted to the strongest of vampires, found it necessary to again turn to human blood...Well, a kind of human blood...Rather, a certain, amazingly powerful source of energy in the form of a very unique individual's human blood...

Namely, the not-exactly strictly human sister of his beloved...A young woman created out of pure energy by some panicky monks to keep her energy from a certain megalomanic goddess...

With the unfortunate, lamentable result of the young girl's transformation...And her subsequent destruction by the band long gathered round his beloved...Aided by a fairly hefty number of young women gifted with the same super power granted to the object of his affections...

One Buffy Summers, once greatest of the Slayers...Who, her friends would say, sadly and self-delusionally, has accepted Vlad's claims of her being his lost love...Hey, it somehow sounds right...And worse, has been, under his influence, displaying an astounding tolerance for veering from the straight and narrow...

Not only accepting, albeit reluctantly, Dawn's murder and transformation, but embracing his offer of Immortal life with him...Only her devoted friends standing in the way of her final transformation, backed by her equally devoted former lover...Who knows something about sacrificing oneself's for one's love, believe you me...William...

In their company, she has traveled to this bleak fastness...They and William hoping to destroy Dracula and free her from what most of them try to view as his thrall...She, leading them on in order to join he whom she believes as he does, is her lost beloved...

While she and her once most trusted friend and instructor, now most feared enemy, Chairman Dr. Rupert Giles of the Royal Council of Librarians and Antiquarians, wait within the castle...Giles having disposed of various members of the Dracule clan dormant in their coffin...The others...The noble Xander, near-brother to the Slayer...The courageous Andrew...The still and ever loving William...And their Slayer comrades...Race against the setting sun after the transport bearing the battle-weakened Dracula, buried in a box of his native soil...(Bloody stupid superstitions, doesn't do a damn bit of good...Will notes to his friends)...Guarded by his faithful servants...(Even better paid than Wolfram-Hart's boys)...

Willow being again away on an astral plane tour...And that tall, brooding guy with the hair having been disposed of back during an earlier fight with Dracula and his new girl in London...

Told him not to tell her about The Immortal's romp with Darla and Dru...Will reflected as they closed in on the transport...

Trapped in his weakened state, The Immortal cries out to Buffy who summons up her growing near-but-not-quite-undead powers over nature to hinder her friends' efforts...

To little avail, there being after all twenty Slayers and a group of folks very well experienced in this sort of thing...

And fortunately her own Slayer power trumped a bit by her near-Undead curse which allows Giles some power over her through religious artifacts...

He not able to quite repress the thought that he should have tainted her long ago...As controlling her via religious implements would have spared a lot of past arguments between them...

Despite her fanatical insistence on the veracity of 'her' Immortal's story... I feel it's true, Giles...she continually babbles... He can't give up trying to reach her nobler self...

"He killed Dawn, Buffy...Led you to kill Angel...He wants to kill you and make you a fiend...How can you give yourself to him?..."

"I'm his beloved, Giles...His Immortal beloved for all time...I sense it, I feel it...I know I've been with him in the past..."

Well...With somebody in the past...I'm pretty sure it's him...she notes...

Not all that bright Willow called her...he sighs...

The transport crashes through the castle gates as the posey reaches it, Xander, William, Andrew, and two Slayers making it through the magics-reinforced gate before it seals again...

The sun has reached the horizon's edge and begins to vanish...

Xander hops onto the transport but is brutally stabbed from behind as he forces the now-stopped vehicle's back door open, killing the guard inside with the coffin and sliding the box back out onto the ground as William runs to it...

Buffy and Giles emerging from the castle as William forces the box open...Buffy screaming at him as the Slayers fight off the last surviving guards about the scene...Xander collapsing into the snow, Andrew desperately trying to tend him...

But the sun has nearly set...

Though Buffy is rather puzzled, eyeing the guy she'd thought was long gone...Another fellow who'd died for her, she remembers...Though perhaps under somewhat, some might say, more noble circumstances...

"William?..." she calls...Forgetting for a moment her beloved struggling within his box of earth...

"What are you doing here?...And in daylight?..."

"Came back a while ago, the October of the year I roasted, Buf...After our fight with the Partners back last May, I woke up to find myself...Human..."

Human?...she blinks...And here to save me, again?...

Whoa...

But hey, my true beloved in the box there...She tenses for battle, though Giles' restraints hold her...Not to mention...

"How come you never came to me in Rome?..." she calls...A bit peeved...

Buffy?...The Immortal, banging away in his box, is somewhat put out, hearing...

UnLife and Death struggle here, dear...

Xander gasping out his last...Comforted in his death throes by a vision of Anya...Who seems in a forgiving vein...

"I did come, once...After you and Vlad here..." Will bangs the coffin, cutting ropes as he pulls a short, mean-looking sword... "Started hangin'...At the time it seemed ok...So I left things as they were..."

Andy never told you I was back?...he stared at her...Both turning to stare at a briefly...Given his tending of poor Xander...Proud Andrew's firm stare...Break a promise to a compadre?...Never...His look says...

"Well, that was dumb..." she calls...Eyeing the sun now all but gone...Vlad now breaking through the box and rising up...As William slices his throat and stabs him in the chest...

Not quite doing the job...As the Immortal demonstrates by tossing human Will back, then falling out of the transport and box and collapsing onto the ground by Buffy...Now partially freed of Giles' restraints by the coming of night...She grabs a rifle dropped by one of Dracula's deceased guards, confronting William and the Slayers about him...William waving the Slayers back, looking at her calmly...

Hmmn...She eyes the two..Vlad groaning on the ground as his Undead life's blood spills out...William eyeing her sadly...

William back...Again...

But William didn't come...And he does seem kinda mad at her...Which might possibly be understandable given her willing to go with the soulless if charming vamp who killed her sister and not the souled and passionate vamp who saved her and the world...

Oooh...She notes Xander, nearly dead on the ground...Looking at Giles' grim face...And the Slayers' now confronting her...

Guess I'm not likely to be too popular with my old gang right now...she notes to herself...

"Well...?" Will gives her a quiet look...

"Will you do the same for me...?" she indicates Dracula...Who'd really like a little medical assist now, please?... "When my time comes...?"

"Loving you as I do...And having been in the grip of a monster like Spike for over a century?..." he pauses...

You bet your booties, I would, girl...

She blinks...

"I've loved you too long, Cicely..." he stares at her... "To lose you to that..." a wave at the now vainly trying to crawl to the castle door...In hopes of finding something, a towel, a rug to staunch the blood...Immortal...

"Or this..." he waves at her nearly-Undead form...

"Cicely?..." she stares...

Hmmn...Uh-oh...

Could I have possibly been mistaken regarding that past life thingy...?

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of theBuffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll on down to the IB series)...

A black-haired, bearded, sharp-featured twenty-something man in long black duster, black shirt and black pants, grinned at his computer screen...

"Gentlemen, we're in..." he announced...

His two associates, Lloyd, a bristly-haired twenty year old in pale green, half-tucked shirt and beige, slightly tight pants and Joe the Pig, bald and heavily overweight, in ancient, unwashed and crusted T-shirt and similar jeans, came over...

"You made it..." Lloyd nodded... Sweet...

"So much for the retirement savings of 100,000 earnest and eager employees of the Bessinger corporation..." Roy, the first speaker, smiled...Tapping keyboard...

"But don't fret grandma...Bush's gonna set up death camps for old fogeys shortly..." he chuckled...

"Roy?..." Lloyd eyed him... "Did we make anything outta this?..."

Roy the Ax, master hacker of the NX5-G group..."You don't know what it means cause we don't want you to know..." their motto, spun round in his chair...Raising a forefinger...A stern look...

"Boys...We are not in this...Merely...For personal gain..."

Just mostly...he grinned...

"Yeah, we took our ten percent...And our corporate flack employers get to write off their share...Reimbursed by Uncle Sam as soon as their lobbyists open doors Monday..."

Just the dweebs in the office and on the factory floor spend their golden years wishin' they'd not voted out Social Security...he chuckled...

The door to their somewhat seedy apartment office was kicked open...All three looked over...

To where a short, twenty-something blonde woman eyed them...A tall, dark, distinguished, somehow not quite youthful (though in appearance he should have been)-looking man beside her...

"Hey..." she stepped in...The NX5-G team eyeing her... "You guys are the NX5-G guys, right?..."

Roy, recovering his aplomb, rose to confront the girl...Giving his best cold stare...Which couldn't quite come close to matching hers... "Yeah...That's us..."

She nodded, looking round... "Why do you guys always decorate the same way?..." she sighed...

"We like it..." Roy noted, eyeing the tall guy behind her who seemed a bit uncomfortable...

Though whether it was the purpose of their visit, the company present, or the deplorable decor was hard to say...

"Just who the hell are you, blondie?...And what the hell do you and your Jude Law clone here want?..."

"Buffy Summers...You trashed a site of mine recently..." she eyed him... "A friend of mine who knows you spotted your handiwork..."

"Roy the Ax leaves a large footprint..." he smiled... She eyed his duster, frowning for a second...

"Who's your friend?..." "My companion here wants to be anonymous...But if you mean the friend who lead me to you...Andrew Wells..."

"Hey...Andy..." Lloyd nodded... "I know him...How's he and that jerk Mears doin'?..."

"You call this girl, Lloyd?...She for us?..." Joe the Pig entered the conversation a bit late, staring at Buffy...Buffy frowning at him briefly... No, man...Lloyd hissed to him...Go sit down...

"Tell that spaz Wells I'll remember he's betrayed one of his own...And get out, unless you want me to throw you and Jude there out..." Roy frowned at her...

Or call the cops about two trespassers...he added...Suddenly feeling for the briefest instant under her now icy glare that perhaps a physical threat was not the best idea here...

"The site you brought down meant a lot to me..." she said quietly... "It was a memorial to someone I cared..." she paused, a brief glance at the Immortal...

"Someone I loved..."

"Not another Elvis site?..." Roy grinned...Then shook his head... "Either it musta been somebody with cash who's had way too many sites or it musta been pretty bad..."

But, maybe...For the right price...he grinned... "I could be merciful next time...After you get it back up..."

Wait a minute...he stared at her tense face...

"Buffy Summers?...The Slayer?...You?..."

Yeah...she nodded...

"I think I know the site you're talkin' about..." Roy smiled... "Never a site deserved to die more..."

He turned his chair to Lloyd... "...'Midnight descends in raven's colored clothes'..." he quoted, chuckling...

"Right, the poet guy?...From the 1800's...William, right?..." Lloyd grinned...

1880...Buffy said, coldly...

"Five of the world's worst poems, four bad short stories, that goofy bio, and the ridiculous nineteenth century nerd himself in black and white photo...No great loss to the literary corpus, sweetie..."

One of those poems and that 'goofy bio' was mine...she thought, glaring...

"Nice coat..." she said coldly... "I knew someone who used to wear one like it..."

Yeah?...Roy brushed his side hair back... "Spike, right?" he grinned... "Yeah, girly I know about him..." he leered at her quietly staring face...The Immortal frowning at him slightly...

"William's demon counterpart...I know the whole story..." a chuckle... "Buffy and Spike, the soul...The First...Roast William a'la Sunnydale...I got it out all outta the Watchers' mainframe a year ago, that's what led me to your site..."

Spike was ok...A reasonably stone-cold killer...Though not a finger on Roy the Ax...he grinned... "But ole Victorian Willie's got to go..."

"And if ya put his stuff up again...I'll just hack it down...I'm not in it for the money on this one, babe...Unless, of course..." a cold sneer...

"It wouldn't be money I'd offer you..." Buffy smiled back coolly... "Just the safety of your various body parts...But it's too late now..." she sighed...

"Some of what you destroyed were the only copies on Earth of his work...There were no hard copies made by the Council and I hadn't had a chance to print out everything..."

"Then the world's saved from another bad poet...My work is done..." Roy grinned...Lloyd vaguely grinning now as well, sensing Roy the Ax had triumphed again...

Joe the Pig busy examining the contents of his nose...As the Immortal grimaced slightly at him...

Sometimes I wonder if it is truly wise to save...All...Humanity...

"Time you and your friend got lost, Slayer..." the Ax frowned at them... "Or my friend Lloyd here will call the cops while I take a look at Buffy Summers' credit report..."

"You know Roy, I really have to tell you...You've done a lot for me..." Buffy said quietly... "I might never have confronted my feelings for William until you killed what little I had left of him..."

"Leave the ashes in the pit at Sunnydale, sister...I did you a favor...Now, get lost..."

"I was beginning to think..." she continued, ignoring him... "That I'd never find myself able to love somebody the way I love him...Dead or alive...Gone or here...And able to do, minus a love spell, what I'm ready to do for his memory now..."

"What?..." Roy eyed her...As she moved on him... "Look, I can't give you his stuff back...It's gone with the electrons..." Yeah, I know...she nodded... "But I can still do something for his memory...And rep..."

I mean...That the Slayer loved him so much as to do this for him...she smiled..."It's gotta pump his name up..."

"And I know Spike in Hell will be tickled pink even if William in Heaven is a mite troubled for me..."

Huh?...he stared as she grabbed him...

"Buffy?..." The Immortal called to her... Just a min, Henri...she waved him off...

"Well...Roy?...You ever see a guy get his head shoved up his ass?..." Buffy eyed him...

Heh...Roy chuckled... "Whoa...Hey..." he feebly struggled...

Buffy?...The Immortal stared at her raging face and the leather-clad young man in her grip...

"We really shouldn't be manhandling people like..."

A harsh scream from Roy, echoed by Lloyd and Joe the Pig both of whom now ran from the room...

Oh, my...the Immortal blinked...

Hmmn...Not in my most evil past days...he thought...

Damn...Must be the real thing, I guess...he noted, as she came over to him...

"Ok...I think we're done here...Lets go..." Buffy eyed him...

By all means...he nodded...Staring a bit...

Yeah, yeah...she sighed... "I guess you understand what this means, Henri...Though I have enjoyed our time together...I think I gotta speak to Willow and see what could be done...Maybe even consider...Waiting...If she can't help..."

"The true thing, ya know?...Baked cookies and all?...I can't just give it up..."she eyed him sadly... "Even if it means waiting till I'm old and ready for my third trip under..."

Though I guess I better do the penance thing...she eyed Roy, now on the floor...

"I can't believe it, man..." Lloyd shook his head at Joe the Pig who simply stared, eyes bulging at the heap of leather, blood, no longer writhing flesh on the floor they'd found on re-entering the room after Buffy and the Immortal had been gone a half hour...

"She actually did it..."

Whoa...

Uh... "Roy?" Joe the Pig tried addressing the heap... "You...ok?...Should we get you a doctor?..."

"Think he's dead, man..." Lloyd sighed...

Search: The Web Angelfire

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXVI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll on down to the IB series)...

LA...Aftermath of the battle with the Senior Partners...Early morning...

Very early morning...

A battered William wakes suddenly to find himself, surprisingly, still Undead...And apparently in a reasonably safe place...And startlingly quiet, given the roar of battle that had been going on continuously before he'd collapsed after being surrounded by a horde of the enemy closing on him...

"Angel?..." he looks up to see a bloodied, slightly bowed, Angel looking down, smiling a bit at him...

Christ, don't tell me he saved me...I'd rather have died my second heroic death...Please let it be Illyria who got me out...

He notes vaguely the forms of many women standing round, quietly watching him as he lay...Someone bandaging his wounds, applying ointments...More women, mostly but by no means all young adults or teens, rushing by...

Slayers?...Meaning?...He anxiously tries to stir and can't...

"Don't Will..." Angel comes to him... "She's already gone...Soon as she got you in and the Partners were flying back to Hell..."

Lovely...Didn't even stay to say...Well, must be fair...I didn't stay in Rome that night...

Still...His deliberations end with his loss of consciousness...

He wakes in a hospital bed...Angel and now Illyria by him...

A quick, hopeful look round...Nothing...

"How's Charlie...?" he mumbles...Straining to hear a voice...The sound of her feet...The rustle of her blouse...Sniffing discreetly to catch a trace of her perf...Well, Nina's about anyway...No doubt on that Chanel she pours on...

"She's not here..." Angel smiles...Choosing to kindly answer the key question first... "And Charlie's doing well...Thanks to her and her Slayers..."

Not here...

Well...Guess His Benevolence must run a tight ship...

Nice of her to come though...he tries a sigh but the pain involved makes him switch to an agonized gasp...

"Angel..." Illyria frowns at him, moving to pat William slightly...

"Ok..." he puts up a hand...Pulling something out of his pocket with the other...

"She left this for you..." he shows a cassette tape...

Apologized handsomely for letting Giles sway her on the 'not trusting Angel anymore' issue...he beamed...

"And..." Illyria glared...

"And...Said you were a jerk and a little blonde coward..." Well, she did...You heard her...he noted to the frowning Illyria... "But to play the tape soon as you felt up to it..." he finished...Lifting a small tape player onto the table near the head of William's bed...

"Do you want it now?..." Illyria asked gently...

"Yes, thanks...But don't start it yet...Great, thanks...Now, get out...Please..."

Play

"We said our goodbyes

The night before

Love was in your eyes

The night before

Now today I find

You have changed your mind

Treat me like you did the night before

Were you telling lies

The night before?

Was I so unwise

The night before?

When I held you near

You were so sincere

Treat me like you did the night before

Last night is the night I will remember you by

When I think of things we did it makes me want to cry

We said our goodbyes

The night before

Love was in your eyes

The night before

Now today I find

You have changed your mind

Treat me like you did the night before

When I held you near

You were so sincere

Treat me like you did the night before

Last night is the night I will remember you by

When I think of things we did it makes me want to cry

Were you telling lies

The night before?

Was I so unwise

The night before?

When I held you near

You were so sincere

Treat me like you did the night before

Like the night before..."

(The Night Before, Lennon/McCartney)

"I have a world-famous, more-or-less redeemed vamp, incredibly cute Immortal billionaire waitin' on me so you damned well better be dialin' the followin' number right now...And be armed with one of the world's truly great excuses, you son-of-a-Dru..." Buffy's voice noted in stern tone...

"William...Please don't make me cry any more..." her voice in a tense whisper... "I couldn't...Can't...Bear it, beloved..."

"DAWN!..." A faint... "Yeah?"... "How'd ya dial our damned number here?..."

He opened his phone...

Out in the hallway various passing members of the hospital staff eyed the group clustered around William's door...Particularly the two young women performing a minor acrobatic feat at said door...

"Well?..."

"Ok, he's got his phone open...Gee, he looks awful bad, I don't think he'll be able to..."

"Right...Good enough...Here, Angel..." Buffy waved the waiting, staring Angel over... "Take her..."

"Whoa...Wait a minute!...Hey!..." Dawn tried to secure a hold on the window above Will's door as Buffy manuevered her from her shoulders onto Angel's...And rushed through the door...The thrown-open door slamming back against the wall...

Angel staggering as he was pushed aside, Illyria, Nina, and several Slayers about trying to grab at Dawn as she desperately hung on to the upper window frame...

"So..." a nonchalant pose...Will blinking at the Buffy standing at his bed... Buffy?...

"Just thought I'd save you the charges..." she smiled...

Uh...Huh...He started to pinch his arm... Will?...she stared...

"Right..." he stopped, nodding... "Last thing I want to do is wake up now..."

.***

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"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXVII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of theBuffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll on down to the IB series)...

Rome...Three days before William and Angel's brief tour of the Eternal City...

"Please..." a gasping whimper... "I'm only doing my job...Mr. Angel assigned me to follow you..."

"Mr. Angel, eh?..." the frowning slight blonde woman eyed the rather husky, well-built, apparently human agent whom she'd just cornered and body-slammed after luring him into following her into the nearest dark alley...

"And what else did 'Mr.' Angel want you to do..."

"Just...To follow you...He was concerned about you..."

Right...she looked him over carefully...Definitely human...Unfortunately...

Leaving torture out as a option...

Maybe...

"Buffy..." a nervous Dawn beside her cut in... "He's probably tellin' the truth...Angel would do something like that..."

"Yeah...?...Yeah, I suppose..."

The agent, still in her choke hold, nodded vigorously...Trying to glance up the alley for any hope of help or rescue...

"When he's not passin' out amulets, I guess..." Buffy frowned... "All right..."

Oh...The man moaned as the initial fear of death which had kept the pain of his injuries at bay to some extent faded a bit...

"I think we better get him to a hospital, sis...You slammed him one pretty hard..."

"I was picturin' Angel..."

"Just...Following...Orders..." another gasp...

"Buffy you can't keep blaming Angel for what happened..." Dawn sighed...

"Right..." the Slayer nodded... "After all, I left him there..." Arggh...Dawn fumed...

"William wouldn't want you to..."

"No..." the agent grabbed at a faint hope of mercy... "He wouldn't want you to let me die...A great guy since he won back the soul...He'd be very...Oh..."

"Pal...My concern over how Angel would feel is not quite what it..." she blinked...

"Won back?...Angel didn't..."

"No..." the man groaned... "I mean William...Slayer, he'd be upset for you, hearing...You'd done harm..."

I think he's...Got you on a...Ped...Arrrrghh...Destial...

"William...?" she stared at him...Lifting him to his feet...

Arrhh...Oh...

"Whatdaya mean, William?..."

As they stood in the hospital corridor, waiting the newly summoned member of their party, Dawn eyed Buffy's grim face...

"Didn't trust me...Was alive all this goddamn time..." the Slayer mumbled... "All this goddamn time while I..."

"Buffy?..."

"Wishin' I'd stayed at the cavern, apocalypse or no...Wantin' to die...Giles havin' to get Willow outta town after I wouldn't stop hounding her, even when Osiris turned us down for the third time..."

And all the time...Bastard...

Cowardly little blonde...Never trusted me for a minute...

"Buffy?...Are you gonna...?"

"But he's alive...Well...Whatever..." a gentle smile...Followed by renewed frown...

"Who the hell is it?...Dru?...Harmony?...One of Angel's ex-girls, tired of not being able to go all the happy way?..." she turned to Dawn... "Who's keepin' him in LA, Dawn?...What dimwitted idiot...Or maybe some greedy WH staffer, claiming to love his poetry ...?"

Dawn gave a shrug, raising arms...How would I...?

"Ladies and cohabitors..." Andrew gave a warm beam as he entered the corridor from the elevator...The beam freezing as he saw Buffy's furious face...

You...she glared at him...

"You...Knew..."

Ummn...He looked at Dawn...Who gave a brief nod...Jig's up, Andy...

"You knew William was alive...You must have...You were in LA..." Buffy came to him...He looking desperately for the elevator door, now closed behind him...

"He didn't want me to...Uhhh..."

"Buffy, put him down..." Dawn grabbed at her sis' arm... "He gets nosebleeds real easy..."

A bench in the hospital corridor...Andrew slowly recovering from his intense session with his Slayer Inquisitor...Buffy and Dawn sitting on his opposite sides...

"All right..." Buffy frowned... "He's not being held by the Partners or Angel...Though if you got it right, Andrew..."

I did, I did...

"Angel nearly let his spirit slide to Hell...And never told me about him..."

I'd say I'm no longer feeling a little uncertain as to if Giles' evaluation of Angel's action in taking over Wolfram-Hart, LA...And our need to keep from trustin' him too far...Was entirely justified...

"Great...Well...Fine..."

Ah...Dawn sighed with relief...

That's ov...

"I'll just have to come up with something that'll get him over here...And keep him jerkin' round for a few months till he decides he's got the guts to face me..."

Hmmn...She thoughtfully tapped Mr. Pointy against an urn and a folder of documents she'd been carrying...The urn containing the ashes of the fiendish Immortal...Her latest victory, saved for study as an unusual type who'd found a way to function for long stretches of time in the light of day...A master manipulator who'd actually strung even the Council along for a century or two...

A couple of pages fell out of the folder...Dawn picking them up...Some important as to the location of stolen art and magics treasures the Immortal...Dumbass, Dimwitt...She felt a tad sad not to have Spike here to help think up some good ones...Had secreted away over the centuries...

Not to mention some pretty nice properties...She eyed a real estate document referring to an estate in Grenoble...Make that damned nice properties...

Hmmn...William must be loaded if he's workin' with Angel the CEO now...And I betcha we could pick these all up for a song, relatively speakin'...And not meanin' to summon the demon Sweet...

"Nice..." she noted to Buffy, seeing her sis eye the photo of the late, less than Immortal Immortal's estate...

Hmmn...Buffy stared at the folder...

"Didn't Giles tell us Spike and Angelus had had dealings with this guy?..."

Yeah...Dawn grinned... "He did..." Boy, did he...she chuckled...

Ummn...Right, I wasn't supposed to be listening in the other room when Giles told you about the Immortal and Darla...And Dru...

"And everybody but Giles, you, and me thinks the Immortal is a preety great guy, right?...Not to mention, still alive..."

"Yeah...He's famous for his...so-called...Redemption..." Dawn rolled her eyes... "A very nice act he had...Even Angelus mighta taken notes..."

Ok...Buffy eyed her two companions...Andrew nervous again after having had a moment's escape from her attention...

"We're gonna bring His Benevolence here..." she tapped the urn... "Back to life...In a way...And as exactly the kinda great, redeemed guy he loved pretending to be..."

The perfect guy...For an Undead type, anyway...

A paragon...

"William's ultimate nemesis..."

Andrew eyed Dawn who eyed him back...Hmmn...?

And Angel's boy in there...She pointed her thumb towards the room door...Is gonna help us...

"And tell Angel...And therefore William...That I am fallin' head over heels for Mr. Undeadly Right..."

That'll get him here...she smiled angelically... "Probably Angel too..."

Then...We'll really give it to him...

"Andy, your role is gonna be essential...But you oughta love this, loving old movies as you do..." Buffy grinned...

Ever see... 'North by Northwest'?...she smiled...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXVIII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll on down to the IB series)...

LA...Aftermath of the (considering the odds,hardly far to call it a) battle with the Senior Partners...

A horde of rather battered demons raising fists in triumph...OOOGHA...HMPF!...General backslapping where something approaching a hand or a back was available...

The surviving vampires in the force keeping a bit aloof from the deplorable gloating and hubris of the others...Perhaps secretly not all that het up about a victory over the two rebel antiheroes of their kind...

Especially one that had not exactly brought many fruits of victory...

We've conquered...An alleyway...Which, given our need to conceal our presence on Earth form the human forces now converging on the site...The possibility of the enemy's more powerful allies arriving, even if too late...And the approach of daylight...We must evacuate...

And entailed losses of about 9,632 to 8, one clerically-minded fellow assigned to compile stats noted...If we can count in the last-minute humans who'd joined Angel and his force in the fray, whoever they were...

The remains a little too trampled to add right now...

But anyway...It was a moment all too rare...One to savor...

For once...With odds of about 10,000 to 1 in our favor...A victory...

At last...

Of course Wolfram-Hart, Inc, USA and the Black Thorns are shot to hell...Meaning we've lost our command team and our last major permanent foothold on Earth...The records-keeper vamp pointed out with not a little contentment...Having warned previously the losses here would so far outweigh the benefits that it would've been best to cut a new deal with Angel and write off the Circle...Worthless dolts to get taken so easily at that...

"Well..." one large, heavy-horned demon spoke up, ramming the little vamp down and trampling him to dust as he did so... "I got Spike's new coat..." he...Or possibly, she...Waved part of a leather jacket...

Great...the collective group eyed him...With a collective sigh...

We'll have it bronzed...

"People..." Senior Partner Joseph, once mighty head of the LA firm...Previously on leave during the Angel period...Now permanently unemployed, he noted to himself, sighing...Appeared in the midst of the group... "Time to withdraw...Human police and rescue forces are approaching and we've no assets left locally to bribe with..."

Several of the celebrating demons frowned at the little humanish, bald creature...Though none was so foolish as to challenge him...

"Victory is ours, Mr. Joseph!..." one tried to share the joy... "Let us celebrate and plunder!..."

"People...It's one thing to fight a few superheroes..." Joseph shook his head... "It's quite another to take on the entire US military and police forces..."

"Besides...I wanna get out before...Pickup..." he sighed...

Hmmn?...Several clueless demons eyed each other...A few passing their detachable eyes about to help the one-eyed or Harbringers left over from the First's army...The vamps about exchanging knowing looks...

Pickup...Yeah, lets go...Nothing more discouraging than seeing one's defeated enemies carried off to eternal joy...

Kinda makes one question the whole Evil system...We risk our possibly Immortal existence to kill a bunch of clowns who haul off to Heaven if they lose...

Whereas if we lose...

A bright light suddenly appeared all around the area...

Lovely...Joseph sighed, noting the second hand on his watch had frozen...Too late, time's been suspended...

"Back...Please..." a gentle voice commanded...The demons of the task force instinctively falling away...One or two feebly threatening or attempting to rally more sensible comrades who refused to budge...

You don't fight these guys...Straight from the Big One itself...

A glowing figure now stood just off from the largest body of demons...A few tried to make out its features but the bright light it gave off was too much for them...Ignoring the group it began scanning the devastated battle area...

Ah...The figure, its nun's habit now visible, smiled...Waving to a group of four now slowly moving her way...

"Hello...Welcome!..." it called...

"Lets go, people...No need to have it rubbed in our faces..." Joseph turned to his host, shrugging in resignation...

But...We won...Right?...The demon holding part of Spike's torn jacket looked at his companions...

"Dru?..." an approaching William eyed the gleaming figure in white nun's habit beaming at them...She held out a hand to him...

"Mr. Walthrop..." she hesitated a moment...

"William...Congratulations...You've won a most notable victory over evil..."

He looked round a bit...Well, quite a few dead demons...

"I mean your soul's triumph, Will...Not the overall body count..." she grinned...

"And here are our other friends, safe and sound..." she waved...He turned to see Angel, Illyria, Charlie, and a young woman vaguely familiar to him, approaching, all in the same gleaming white as Dru...Eyeing each other in considerable surprise...Both at seeing each other again and in their unusual mutual clothing choices...

"You three stop to shop at the Salvation Army thrift or something?..." Will grinned at them... "Same place as you..." Charlie noted...Will looking down to see that he was indeed likewise in white...

Hmmn...Clashes a bit with the blonde...he frowned...

"I don't suppose..." he turned back to Dru... "When we get where we're goin' you can wear anything you like, William..." she smiled...

"Dru...?" Angel blinked at her...

"Human-souled Dru..." Will guessed quickly, smiling at her...She nodding back with a grin...Yeah...

"So...We lost, eh?..." Charlie frowned... "I am right in assuming we're all dead?...Nice as it is to see my grandma was right about the white robes, lights, and all..."

"I think any fair-minded military commander would hand the palm to you...The Partners suffered irreplaceable losses...And since some of the Slayer Corps showed and more are on their way..." Dru smiled at the young woman standing with them... Ah, Claire the Slayer from our little army, right...Will nodded... "They're forced into abandoning Earth for good..."

"Not an utterly humiliating outcome for us..." Illyria nodded...Then looked at her white outfit carefully...

"Does this mean...?" she asked Dru... "Welcome to the Light, sister..." Dru smiled...

"The winning side is preferable..." the no-longer blue one pronounced...

"But..." she lost a little composure...An anxiously questioning look to the white nun...

"Best to ask him...And her...Yourself..." Dru pointed to where another group in white was now taking form...

"Cordelia..." Angel gasped...

"Hey..." a merry wave from a Cordy who hurried over...Lifting Angel off the ground for a hug, spin, and kiss to his shock...

"Wesley..." Illyria blinked...Ummn...Oh...

"Hello...Dr. Burkle..." she eyed a white-robed Winifred at Wes' side...

Whoa...She gasped as Fred walked into her, literally...Will, Charlie, and Angel staring...

"They're one now..." Wes explained... "She's won her place as another dimension to Fred's immortal nature...Which for a demon is no mean achievement..." he smiled at the beaming Winifred-Illyria...

"Make room there, miss..." Darla tapped Cordy on the shoulder... "Hello, Dad..." she grinned at Angel... Darla?...

"I hear leaving our boy with you was not the worst idea I've ever had..." she hugged him...

Ummn... "We've agreed to share...If that's ok by you, Angel..." she eyed Cordy who nodded...

"Of course...We may have a few other nice fellows we'd each occasionally like to visit..."

Or at least I would...she grinned...Allowing for Eternity and all...

Gram...? Charlie found himself tossed up... "Sweetie-pie!..." a booming cry of joy...As a horde of relatives joined his grandmother around him...

"Liam..." Another figure came forward, followed by others...Angel's jaw dropping...

"Mother...Father..."

"Boy...Seems ye've gone and done it this time..." the stern voice followed by a smile...

Well done, my son... A firm nod...

"And high time you brought yer mother a grandson..."

"Mother..." Will stared at the figure moving his way... "Oh, William..." she smiled, extending arms... "You've made me so proud, son..." she hugged him as he sobbed in her arms...

"William..." a shy voice as he looked...

"Cicely?..." he gasped...

Hmmn... "You did resemble that vengeance..." "I was..." Cicely sheepishly nodded, stepping forward to him...Showing Halfreck form for an instant...

"But the soul is immortal in Eternity if not on Earth...And it seems the one I did harm to forgave me...Publicly..." she smiled at him... "So, here I am..."

Thank you for your poem, William...she kissed him... "It was the one thing my soul clung to within Halfreck...That kept part of me a little bit human...That someone idealized me so..."

"So...Dru..." Angel looked at her from his mother's embrace as she watched the group happily...

"What now...?"

"Now?..." she smiled...

"Now...My dearest friends...You get the big finale...Naturally..." she chuckled...

"Courtesy Mr. Cole Porter..."

She cocked her head and put hand to her ear...The others from Heaven smiling and gathering round her as the Angel group watched...

(Blow, Gabriel, Blow...Cole Porter)

Play

Dru:

"Do you hear that playin'?

Chorus (Wes, Angel's family, Mrs. Walthrop, Cicely, Charlie's family, friends):

(Yes, we hear that playin'.)

Dru:

Do you know who's playin'? (Mother?...Will stared at the trumpter beaming at him...)

Chorus:

(No, who is that playin'?)

(sung) Dru:

Well, it's Gabriel, Gabriel playin'!

Gabriel, Gabriel sayin'

"Will you be ready to go

When I blow my horn?"

All:

Blow, Gabriel, blow,

Come on and blow, Gabriel, blow.

I've been a sinner, I've been a scamp,

But now I'm willin' to trim my lamp,

So blow, Gabriel, blow.

Oh, I was low, Gabriel, low,

Mighty low, Gabriel, low.

But now that I have seen the light

I'm good by day and I'm good by night

So blow, Gabriel, blow.

Dru (rest as backup):

Once I was headed for Hell.

Once I was headed for Hell!

But when I got to Satan's door,

I heard you blowin' on your horn once more,

So I said, "Satan, farewell."

And now I'm all ready to fly

Yes, to fly higher and higher

'Cause I've gone through brimstone

And I've been through the fire

And I purged my soul

And my heart too

So climb up the mountaintop

All:

And start to blow, Gabriel, blow

Come on and blow, Gabriel, blow

Dru:

I wanna join your happy band

Play all day in the Promised Land

So blow, Gabriel, blow!

Get up you scamps, get up you sinners!

Get up on your feet and SING!

All (including Angel group):

Blow, Gabriel, blow, (Blow, Gabriel!)

Come on and blow, Gabriel, blow. (Blow, Gabriel!)

I've been a sinner, I've been a scamp,

But now I'm willin' to trim my lamp,

So blow, Gabriel, blow.

Oh, I was low, Gabriel, low, (Low, Gabriel!)

Mighty low, Gabriel, low.

But now that I have seen the light

I'm good by day and I'm good by night

So blow, Gabriel, blow.

Once I was headed for Hell.

Once I was headed for Hell!

But when I got to Satan's door,

I heard you blowin' on your horn once more,

So I said, "Satan, farewell."

All (fading):

So, Blow, Gabriel, blow!

Blow, Gabriel,blow! Oh...

I wanna join your happy band

Play all day in the Promised Land

So blow, Gabriel, blow, Gabriel,

blow, Gabriel, blow "

William and Mrs. Walthrop off to one side...

"William?..." she eyed him... "Anything troubling you...?"

"Apart from guilt over killing you and thousands over the last century, Mother?..." he wryly smiled as she gave him a frown...Will...

"Well, maybe just one thing..."

Ah...she nodded...

"Cicely is a nice girl..." she noted with a faint smile...

"Who is very fond of me now...Though still not quite in love with me, I think..." he smiled back... "But, no...That's not it..."

I see...she patted him and led him to a piano which had suddenly taken form in a room not unlike their old sitting room back in Victorian London...

"Is this...?" he looked around...Unable to keep a modicum of disappointment out of his voice...

Not that it wasn't Heaven to be home...Just...Well...

"Heaven's what and where you want it to be, William..." Mrs. Walthrop smiled...

"Or in this case, just for the moment...Where I'd like it to be..."

Of course...he smiled back...Patting her gently...

"Though we're not required to stick to tunes of our own time..." she noted...Offering him a music book, turned to a certain page...Which he scanned...

"You and Dru have become quite the Porter fans..."

He smiled at her ruefully... "A boy's best friend indeed..." he smiled at her, shaking his head as she rose, gently kissing him...And began playing, singing softly as she left...

Play

"In the still of the night...

as I gaze out of my window

at the moon in it's flight...

My thoughts all stray to you...

In the moon's yellow light...

while the world is in slumber

Ah,the times without number

Darling, when I say to you..."

Buffy's voice caught him by surprise...

"Do you love me...as I love you?..." He turned to her as she came to the piano bench...

"Sorry, I couldn't get through the pack in time..." she sighed... "But I was there..." she smiled, taking a seat by him...

Together:

"Are you my life to be...

My dream come true

Or will this dream of mine...

fade out of sight..."

"While the Moon's growing dim...

on the rim of the hill...

in the chill, still...of the night..."

(In the Still of the Night...Cole Porter...)

"But we did win, right Mr. Joseph?..." the demon tried again as the 'victorious' army of Evil raced back for its Hell portal...Slayers pouring in against them from all directions...Eyeing the now abandoned dead bodies of the Angel team he and his comrades had dragged to a would-be victory pyre...

"Shut up and run like Hell, kid..." Joseph frowned at him...

"Immortal Beloved..." LXXXIX...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll on down to the IB series)...

Part A.

Two months after the defeat of the Senior Partners...

Theme from "LA Law..." plays as a determined-looking Angel in expensive suit strides the hallowed halls of the LA county courthouse to enter courtroom 11a...Followed by an equally determined-looking Nina, in elegant yet screaming competent aggressiveness formal suit, a rather irritated-looking William, rather uncomfortable in his own monkey suit...And looking rather nervous, Illyria and Gunn, likewise well-dressed...All but William carrying briefcases...Which as they take seats behind a table, the bearers open in unison...

William rolling his eyes...

Entering now to take seats, across the aisle...The plaintiff and her team...Several of America's most famed, if perhaps not deserving of such fame, attorneys...

G. Lou Failey...A somber nod to the applauding courtroom audience...The applause cut short by the presiding judge's curt demand for silence...

Jackie Childs, attorney to the stars...A gleaming beam of the pearly whites and a wave to the world at large...

Alan Herskowitz...Famed defender of the undead...Well, Claus at least had certainly seemed more undead than most of the truly...Scowling over at the Angel team...

"What's his problem?..." Will hissed to Angel...

"Eh, he was up for my job when we were still Wolfram-Hart, LA..." Angel shrugged... "He was sniffing around, trying to check out my credentials all last year, claiming they'd no right to give the job to someone whom nobody at the California Bar Association could remember having taken the exams...Though I think what really pissed him off is I have better hair and look more like a TV lawyer..."

"Quite a team they got..." Gunn whispered, seeming a tad anxious...Will eyed him...

"I don't suppose you've retained those hot-shot legal skills...?"

"Uh...Sure...Uh...Some..." Charlie nodded...Will looked at him...As did Illyria...

"I've got our strategy all worked out..." he noted, brightening...

She peering into his briefcase, pulled out...

"... 'Legal Tactics for Dummies'...?" she held the book up, Charlie grabbing it...

Careful...he hurriedly put the book back in his briefcase, glancing across the way... "They may have a copy to consult..."

"Christ...How did I get into this one?...Why didn't I just give in to her when I had the chance?..." Will sighed... "Instead I got the team that couldn't beat the clowns Ally McBeal's firm used to take on..."

"Now, William..." Angel eyed him firmly... "Just cause she's assembled some talent to keep us occupied is no reason to panic..."

"No?...Well, I'll tell ya, ole pal...I'd feel a little better about this if any one of you lot actually were lawyers..."

"Hey..." Angel frowned... "We are lawyers...And have the mystically faked documents to prove it..."

'Sides...he noted... "I hear Failey is slipping, Childs is a grandstander, and Herskowitz's heart really isn't in this one...He having had legal troubles with his girl friends before..."

"And none of us have the slightest idea what we're doing..." Will shook his head...

"Please...We'll wipe up the floor with them...And make her wish she'd never started this..." Angel beamed...Then looked over to where the plaintiff sat, looking quite lovely in her modest dress, though rather sad...Especially since his last remark which she'd clearly overheard...Nervously brushing a blonde hair back...Occasionally making slight glances over at William who stubbornly refused to look at her...

"Besides..." Illyria cheerfully noted... "We could probably kill everyone here quite easily should all else fail..."

Gunn and Angel eyed each other...Well, always good to have a back-up strategy...

Two weeks earlier...

Offices of Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, Walthrop...LA...

"This is ridiculous..." the slight man fumed, rapping the document in his hand... "Crazy..."

Angel, behind his desk, eyed his new associate partner and his flagrant violation of firm dress...Not gettin' me in a monkey suit, boss...as William sat across from his senior partner in his favorite black leather jacket and t-shirt...

"Ridiculous or no, it's valid...And as she's refused all of Charlie's attempts at negotiation, you are facing a court proceeding..."

Arghh...William shook his head...And turned to eye Gunn... "Couldn't you get anywhere with her?...You're supposed to make things like this go way...She can't be that unreasonable..."

"Man...She was furious that you didn't come...I told you, she wouldn't even talk to me...You should've handed this yourself, Spike..."

"The court will never...For her?...It's impossible..." "They already did...And a date is set...There's nothing more we can do regarding preventing this from going to court..." Angel sighed...Then brightened...

"But you'll have our best to help out there...I'm frankly kinda looking forward to leading the team on this one..."

Jesus...Will glared at him... Gunn and Illyria beside him looking nervous as well..."You?...In court...?"

"Boss..." Charlie hesitantly began... "It might not be so good for you to handle this one..."

Not having any courtroom experience...Or any valid legal credentials of any kind outside our shared faked degrees and phony resumes...he did not say...

"You are not a lawyer..." Illyria stated flatly...

"Hey...I'm licensed to practice...I can produce a diploma and bar certification..." Angel frowned...

"I'm dead...Er than ever..." William sighed... "Just mail me to her in a box..."

"You should have gone to see her when she called you..." Illyria frowned at him...Then beamed... "Wesley would gone...Even if she were the demon who'd...Involuntarily...Taken Ms. Summers' body..."

"This is not the same thing..." he glared at her...

"Hell, she's not even..." he paused... "And the whole is ridiculous...How can she sue me for breech of promise in 2005?..."

And what the hell promise did I ever...? he eyed the group...

"Well..." Illyria began... "If I understand the facts in the case..."

"I never made any promise!..." he insisted... "This is all a fantasy on her part...And might I again point out...She's..."

"Don't say it, Will..." Angel cut him off... "We can't use that argument anymore...We've gotta get out of that mind-set..."

"State of California ruled in her favor...She can take you to court..." Gunn noted... "And this is more than just 'breech of promise'...Liability, damages...There is potential for criminal prosecution here, you're lucky she isn't pursuing that line..."

Yet...

You should've gone to see her...Illyria sighed... "...'A woman scorned'..." she noted, rather surprising herself by the quote...

Demon or human...Or whatever..., she noted firmly...

"Well, we'll all be there, Will...Backed by the remnants of Wolfram-Hart's old research team...We can't fail..." Angel nodded decisively...

Great...Will sighed... "I'm sure the Brood will wow the hell out of the judge..."

The courtroom...Now fairly well packed...Reporters milling in back...

A judge in black robes took her seat...Eyeing the group at the Angel table over the rim of her glasses...With a rather severe frown...

"How come she gets this case?..." Will hissed... "She's the one who ruled on her initial petition to sue me..."

Isn't that some indication of her bias here?...Can't you get somebody else?...

"We tried..." Gunn whispered...Looking at Angel who looked a tad embarrassed... "The Boss had a few problems with the motion..."

"Just a few details I hadn't gotten down..." Angel noted... "But this time..."

"Lovely..." Will put his head in his hands...

Well, not like I have all that much to lose...he sighed...Just my income for the next thousand years or so...

He scanned the jury in their box...Eight women...Four men...The women looking sympathetically at the sad-faced plaintiff, looking rather downcast in her seat...The men looking as well...Three with rather extreme attention...One a bit indifferent, apparently...And now eyeing Will with a rather direct stare...

And smile...

Well, at least one male juror appears to be gay...A thin ray of hope there...he thought...Smiling back...

Well, hell...Desperate times, desperate measures...

"I would ask members of the media...And those in attendance..." the judge suddenly spoke... "To maintain silence during these proceedings...I understand the interest in this case, but I will have the room cleared if any disruption occurs..."

She picked up a folder in front of her and opened it...

"In the case of Ms. Buffy Anne Summers, R...versus...Mr. William Soames Walthrop..."

The courtroom door opened suddenly...The judge giving an annoyed glare...

"Hey!..." Buffy called from where she just entered...Followed by two deputies, one now drawing his gun...She glaring down towards the judge who eyed her coldly... "I object!..."

Buffy...A nervous Willow following the deputies... "You don't object..."

"You bet you don't...In my courtroom..." the judge glared back at the Slayer...Who withered a bit, much to the surprise of Willow...And the Angel team, including William who'd turned round to witness the scene... "William..." she breathed, staring... "Ms. Summers, H...I believe?..." the judge drily noted, scanned further in the folder...Several reporters attempting to get a picture...Deputies now confronting them as well as more surrounding Buffy...

"William?..." Buffy called... Buffy?...Willow stared at her... "What the hell's going on here?..."

He shrugged to her...

"Sit down, Ms. Summers...Or I will have you charged with contempt of court and disrupting court proceedings...Now..."

Uh...Well...She looked round...Hmmn...Grrr...She spied her twin, now looking back to her...Hi! Buffy!...Willow!...The plaintiff Ms. Summers, R waved back to them...

"Ms. Summers, both of you...I won't tolerate this again..." the judge eyed each...Ms. Summers, R nodding sheepishly and taking her seat...Failey and Herskowitz consulting briefly, Childs smiling for the cameras...

Willow pulled Buffy off to a seat...

"My god he really is..." Buffy shook her head... "You knew he was alive...In his way..." Willow whispered...

"Knowin' and seein' him in the Undead flesh...Two different things, Wil..." the Slayer hissed back...

God, I should be the one suing here...she noted angrily... "He never even called me..."

Well, you didn't even mail that card you and Dawn bought after Andy came home and told us about Will, Dana, and the hands thing...Willow did not say...

"I guess our Botty feels pretty much the same way..." she noted instead... "Though she seems a leetle more determined to get him..."

Say...Willow eyed Botty at the plaintiff's table... "She looks pretty good...Though I'd sure like to know who found her and had her repaired...And enhanced her programming to the point she could do convince a court she should be entitled to human legal status..."

Eh, California...Buffy hissed...They'd rule a tree human here...

"She looks a few pounds heavier than me...And she still doesn't have my fashion sense..."

"Ms. Summers, R..." the judge looked to Botty who smiled back... "Let me see if I've got the facts here straight..."

"I frankly don't see why Will doesn't just give in and marry her..." Willow whispered as the judge addressed Botty...

Buffy eyeing her friend a bit coolly now...

"I mean...She's potentially Immortal more or less, she looks like you...And she loves him like nobody's..." she paused as Buffy's stare moved to hard glare...

"She's not human...She doesn't love him anymore than a coffee maker would..."

Buffy?...

"You're dating His Benevolence...A very nice guy, by your say-so..."

"Yeah...And I'll bet he thinks it's the title...Do you think he thinks it's the title, Wil?..."

Ummn...

"I'll bet Andy told him it was the title that got me...Heck, like I would want to be called 'Her Benevolence' for the rest of my life...Hell, he gave himself the title at that..."

Last week after a week at his Geneva estate, he was the greatest...Willow did not say...This week, one look at William and he's pond scum...

"He's fighting this...He's doesn't want her..." Buffy nodded, rather pleased...Hmmn...

"You think that means he doesn't love me anymore...?" she looked anxiously at Willow...

Uh...Well...

"And you say that Mr. Walthrop therefore...In view of both refusing to marry you...And in abandoning you after you were temporarily severely disabled..." the judge continued to Botty...Who looked a bit distressed...

Ummn...Well...Ma'am...

"Your Honor..." Failey rose...Childs jumping up, waving... "Your Honor, this is a case of right vs wrong...Of an abused, betrayed legal person seeking redress..." Failey and Herskowitz now glaring at their colleague... "Look at her, once a strong, proud member of the android race, loving and trusting...Now, betrayed...Abandoned...Her reason for existence gone...Her life ruined...She's pitiful..." Childs waved his hand in a slashing gesture...

"Your Honor...This case points to a straightforward violation of the plaintiff's personal rights.." Failey tried to cut in...

Botty looking rather embarrassed, glancing again over to the stony-faced William as he sat watching the judge...

"Be seated, gentlemen..." the judge cut both of the standing attorneys off... "We'll get to you later..."

"You clowns try to cut me out of this case again and I'll have your balls in a glass jar on my library shelf..." Herskowitz quietly hissed to his partners as they reluctantly sat...

"Your Honor..." Angel began, rising...

"The case here deals with whether or not Mr. Walthrop and Ms. Summers, R..." he smiled at Botty who beamed back... "Had by virtue of his purchasing her from one Warren Alonzo Mears, late of Sunnydale, California, an implied marital and prenuptial contract with her..."

Eh, boy...Willow sighed...Trying to scrunch down in her seat...

Did he have to mention the late Mr. Mears?...In a court of law?...

Let us consider what a contract is...Angel continued...

Uh-oh...Gunn pulled at him...Boss, we agreed not to pursue this line...Even though you thought it was a brilliant strategy...

You promised, Boss...he pulled again, discreetly...Illyria and Nina frowning at Angel as well...

This was not to be our defensive plan...Illyria glared...

"A contract is a legally binding agreement which is unbreakable...Unbreakable..." Angel nodded...

And if such an implied contract existed between Ms. Summers, R and Mr. Walthrop...It would be Mr. Walthrop's duty to at the very least, provide permanent maintenance for the one he'd caused to have brought to existence...

We're dead...Gunn sighed...Trying to smile confidently at William...

"However...If the said Ms. Summers, R...In her original form...Failed to meet her specific operational requirements...As laid out in the purchase agreement..." Angel smiled...

A very distressed look from Botty...Angel?...

"William?...Did I ever fail to meet my operational requirements?..." she called over to him...He, catching the distress in her voice, unable to repress the gentlemanly instinct turned...

"Never, love..."

Buffy in the back, blinked...

Aw...Willow smiled...That's so...She looked at Buffy's angry face...

Nothing...I said...Nothing...

Hmmn...Angel blinked a bit...Somewhat nonplused by the sudden undercutting of his argument...

"Anyway...My point is...My client, Mr. Walthrop..."

Has a warranty...He waved a sheet of paper...

"Yes..." the judge nodded... "I have a copy here...Please give this to the jury to look over..." she handed the copy to a bailiff...

"Your Honor..." Failey rose...Childs again jumping up... "Your Honor, Walthrop there has just admitted our poor girl here never failed to meet expectations...She was beautiful, she was available, she got the job done...End of story...Case closed..."

"Ah, but Your Honor...Ms. Summers, R in fact, did not live up to said expectations..." Angel smiled his best mysterious Perry Mason smile... "The said Mr. Mears, her designer and builder, promised a humanoid Buffy-bot who could deceive Ms. Summers, H's friends and family...And fight successfully as a Slayer..."

I have here a brief videotape, taken by a security camera after Ms. Summers, R did battle with a rather puny vampire...Angel waved a videotape...

"It shows Ms. Summers, R taking significant damage from said puny vampire...Confirming that she did not, in the realm of Slaying...Live up to stated specifications..."

Hmmn...Botty looked down...

"Mr. Angel..." the judge sighed... "Need I remind you that Ms. Summers, R has been declared a legal person in this state...And no legal person can be held to a warranty on themselves..."

"But, Your Honor...Our contention is...That on the as yet unexplained death of Mr. Warren Mears, Ms. Summers, R became the legally obligated person pledged to fulfill the signed purchase agreement and warranty..."

Bwhhah...Herskowitz struggled to repress a chuckle...Childs and Failey smiling from their seats...

That's their defense?...

Hmmn...Will eyed the downcast Botty...

No need to shame the poor thing in public...She did her best within her limitations...

"And there's more..."Angel hastily added...

"I'd like to call the first of my witnesses...Ms. Willow Rosenberg..."

Huh?...Willow stared...

Thought I was just here for moral Buf support...

"Why is he looking at her like that, Wil...?" Buffy anxiously poked her, eyeing William's sympathetic look towards Botty...

Part B...

Angel gave his best combination "LA Law, Legal Eagles, The Practice, Perry Mason..." attorney-at-law stare at Willow now nervously sworn into her chair...

"You are Ms. Willow Rosenberg...?"

Uh... "Yeah..." a decisive nod...

"Best friend of both Ms. Buffy Summers, H...And Ms. Buffy Summers, R...?"

Botty giving a best-friendly wave to Willow...Hey...Hey, the wiccan waved back...

Cutting it short as she caught Buffy's glare from her seat...

Ummn...Well...

"I guess...From both their points of view..." she began...

What the hell does that mean? ...Buffies H and R thought...

"I suppose I am..."

"And did you know the creator of Ms. Buffy A. Summers, R...One Warren Alonzo Mears...?"

"Hey!..." Buffy called... "Stop calling that thing by my name!...She's a bot...She's not my robosister or my robodaughter..."

"Ms. Summers..." the judge glared at her...Withering her again as a startled Willow looked over...

That's one damned good glare...Especially for a non-Slayer...

"If I hear one more outburst in my court from you...I will throw you in jail...You get me, miss?..."

Yes, Your Honor...Buffy nodded sheepishly...Taking her seat...

"As for Ms. Buffy A. Summers, R...Who I likewise caution not to wave or speak to witnesses on the stand..." Botty hung her head in shame... "Her programming interface has been permanently fused to exclude new commands and she has been declared a legal person by the State of California...And that does it for me...And for anyone else in my court..."

Continue, Mr. Angel...

"I repeat my question, Ms. Rosenberg..."

Oh, please don't...Willow sighed internally...

Still one did have to face up to one's hideous crimes one day...And best before any chance of absolution was impossible...

"Were you acquainted with Mr. Warren Alonzo Mears of Sunnydale?...Creator of Ms. Buffy A. Summers, R."...

Huh, hey...Ummn...

"Acquainted?...Well, I suppose..."

Answer the question, miss...Today...the judge coldly informed her...

"Yes...I was acquainted with Mr. Mears..."

"And would you say he was a competent robotic engineer?...Capable of mastering all intricacies of duplicating a human being in robot form?..."

"Warren?...Well...He did a neat job with Botty...er Ms. Summers, R..."

"A 'neat' job..." Angel nodded...I see...

"But would you say his creation could fulfill his contract with Mr. Walthrop, aka Spike...As I quote... 'a robotic copy of Buffy Summers, true to all details'...?"

Well...Willow hesitated...Looking over to where Botty sat, looking sadder than ever...

"Your Honor!..." Failey and Childs in chorus, on their feet at once...

We actually died the night of the battle, didn't we...? the seated Gunn whispered, head buried in his hands...Now coming up to eye Illyria...

"And this is my lil' corner of Hell, right?...Where I'll have to relive this nightmare every day, forever..."

"Down, gentlemen...Let Mr. Angel proceed..." the judge frowned at the two attorneys...

"Angel actually seems to be succeeding on a few points..." Illyria noted quietly...Charlie pulling head up...Hmmn?...

At least he has made a start of a case on the crazy warranty thing...she pointed out...

"Ms. Rosenberg?..." Angel prodded her...

"I guess she didn't exactly match Buffy in all respects..." Willow sighed... "Though judging by her recent independent actions, she's come a long way since we left her in the dumpster..."

Ummn...She looked over at Botty who was now examining the floor and her feet...Tears clearly beginning to run...

"Ah, yes..." Angel nodded... "The dumpster...I'll be getting to that shortly...But lets get back to my question...You agree that as originally constituted, Ms. Summers, R did not quite live up to Mr. Mears' stated promise in the sales contract and warranty...?"

You bet she didn't...Dumb cluck-bot...Buffy fumed in her seat...

"Weeelll...I guess not...No..." Willow sighed...

But she really has come a long way, whoever repaired her...she firmly noted...Botty giving a quick, grateful beam her way...Thanks...

No sweat, kid...Wil's return smile...

"Now to the dumpster...Which I offer the following photo of, marked as exhibit B..." Angel waved a large photo...

"Ms. Rosenberg...You and your vamp hunting gang placed a certain degree of reliance on Ms. Summers, R's abilities as a Slayer after Ms. Summers, H's death...Correct?..."

"Oh, yeah...Botty was great..." Willow beamed...

"But not quite up to Ms. Summers, H's mark?...Correct?..."

"Heck even most of our new Slayers aren't up to Buffy's mark..." Willow insisted... "Botty did damned..." a quick, apologetic look to the frowning judge... "er...Darned...Well..."

"I see...And...After Ms. Summers, R was severely damaged by demon raiders the night of Ms. Summers, H's resurrection...What did you and your companions do with her?..."

Uh...We...Uh...

"You threw her remains in this Town of Sunnydale dumpster, did you not?..." Angel tapped the photo...

Uh...Ummn...Yeah, well... Willow squirmed in her seat as the majority of the courtroom attendees stared at her...

"We didn't think she could be repaired...And Buffy, H...er human Buffy...Was back..."

Was she still functional?...

Ummn...sorta...Willow whispered...Botty staring at her...William as well...With a sympathetic glance Botty's way...

Buffy, in spite of herself, staring as well...

"Would you speak up, Ms. Rosenberg?...Was Ms. Summers, R still functional?..."

"Yeah...Yes..." Willow sighed...A murmur in the court...

"So...Feeling Ms. Summers, R did not deserve the regard and respect a human being would normally command...You and your friends decided to abandon her, though still functional and to some degree, conscious, to whatever fate awaited her in the town dump?..."

Bo...oss...Gunn hissed... "You're going over the line..."

He's getting the jury on her side, is he crazy?...he whispered to Illyria...Botty's legal team obviously agreeing as they sat, beaming at Angel...

It's ok...Botty's kind look to Willow said as Wil stared embarrassedly at her...

"You know..." William sighed to Illyria as he watched Botty's generous action... "One must admit, she's quite a compassionate girl..."

"I guess we did..." Willow nodded sadly to Angel...

Even Buffy looking a bit distressed...Wil?...

"And did my client, Mr. Walthrop...Her nominal owner at the time, before her legal emancipation...Participate in this decision to abandon her...?"

Uh...No...

"What was that?..."

"No...He did not participate in the decision...Xander...Mr. Harris, a member of our group...And Buffy's sister, Dawn...Decided with me..."

Kinda feel bad about it now that we didn't think it over...But we were busy with resurrected Buffy and all...

"So my client did not participate or agree in the decision of your group to abandon Ms. Summers, R...?"

"No..." Willow nodded...

"I sure would like to know who repaired her, though..." she added...

The judge frowning, cautioned her on making unsolicited statements...

"That's all, Ms. Rosenberg...Thank you..." Angel nodded to her...

Mr. Childs?...the judge eyed him... "I see you can't wait..." A titter through the room as Childs rose quickly...

"Never...When justice needs servicing, your Honor..." Childs nodded gallantly...

"Ms. Rosenberg...Hello..." a wide smile...

Hey...Willow nodded...

"When Mr. Walthrop thrust my client into her time of cruel bondage and inhumane abuse..." Childs clasped hands in a tormented expression...Deep grief furrowing his brow...

He was an Undead, hideous fiend...Was he not?...

"Spike was a demonic vamp, yeah..."

"A brutal, maniacal killer of the worst kind, correct?..."

"He was pretty bad...Though he's better now..." Willow noted...

"Damned straight!...He's a hero!..." Botty called...Beaming at William...

"Absolutely!...Yeah!..." Buffy rose hastily...

No damn cluck-bot's gonna cut me outta paying my guy his due...she glared at Botty...

"Ms. Summers, R!...And H!..." the judge snapped at them...

"Sorry, ma'am..." they chorused, sitting...

Girls...Will eyed each, turning to Botty, then back to Buffy...With a sheepish smile...

Which each of the twins returned with firm nods...

Our Champion...

"Mr. Childs..." the judge nodded to him...

"Yeah, my client gave him utter devotion and love...Correct?..."

"Sure...I mean...She was crazy about him...He was her reason for existence...She was made to love him..."

"Programmed you mean...Enslaved, in actual fact!..." Childs noted...Banging fist on the rail of the witness box for emphasis...Willow jumping a bit...

Mr. Childs...the judge frowned...He waved a hand... "A hard thing to bear witness to your Honor...Ms. Rosenberg...My client could not resist the demon Spike, even to the level of...Sexual relations...Correct?..."

"Well no...Spike commissioned her as a sex-bot Buffy after all..." Willow noted...

Though William is much better now...she hastily added...Will giving a faint smile and nod...Thanks, Red...

"A sexual slave of a foul, Undead, unholy fiend!...This was my client's life in those horrible days...Unable to fight her desire for this admittedly studly monster from Hell..."

Buffy eyed Botty...Botty, Buffy...Both smiling at William...

Oh, yeah...

"I guess so..." Willow nodded...

"And she defended him against the goddess Glory...And even when partially emancipated by you from her previous condition she still loved him all that the summer you had her take on the role of the deceased Ms. Summers, H...Correct?..."

Still do...Always will...Botty's long, wide-eyed stare at William said...

Buffy frowning to glare intensity as she watched...

"And after rending him these services...Not to mention involuntarily joining you and your little self-appointed troupe of world-savers in your fight to save the world from vicious evildoers of all descriptions at great personal risk...Performing feats that any fair-minded human being would consider heroic..."

She was left to rot in a pile of garbage...Childs sighed heavily...The entire jury glaring now at William...

"Unloved, uncared for...Abandoned..."

God, why didn't we settle for any amount when we had the chance?...Gunn shook his head...

" 'Cause she doesn't want money.." Illyria reminded him in a whisper... "You offered her practically everything Will had on his instructions..."

No further questions...Childs smiled, taking his seat...

"Mr. Angel?..." the judge eyed him...

"Ms. Rosenberg, again...Did my client make or have anything to do with the decision on disposing of Ms. Summers, R's remains?..."

Willow shook her now rather teary-faced head...No...

No further questions, your Honor...

"Botty, I'm so sorry..." she called over, sobbing as she left the stand...Botty shaking head, a kind smile...

"You might've asked me what I wanted you to do with her..." Buffy hissed to Willow as the wiccan returned to her seat... "I might've found a nice, pleasant...Utterly inaccessible and isolated plot for her fully disassembled parts somewhere..."

You were kinda out of it then, Buf...Wil noted...Dabbing eyes with hanky, then blowing nose...

Not to mention far too utterly absorbed in yourself that whole year to give a damn about any of us, excepting maybe Dawn, including Botty or William...she did not say...

"Good thing for you Angel didn't bring up how Warren died..." Buffy whispered...Willow frowning at the ten or so reporters scattered about them, straining to hear what the former paramour of the defendant and template for the plaintiff was telling the most recent witness...Several aiming their Sound Master 8000 mikes their way...

"Yeah...I would have sobbed like blazes remembering how my good ole fellow geek pal died so tragically..." the wiccan hastily noted...Loudly...

"If I may call my next witness..." Angel smiled to the judge...Who gave a slight smile back...

Gunn, noting it eyed Illyria...

A ray of hope...She likes the Brooding One...

"Ms. Buffy A. Summers, R..." Botty looked from where she'd been longingly staring at William...Hmmn?...

Part C...

Botty sworn in, Angel came up, smiling at her in the witness box...

"Ms. Summers...Hi..."

"Angel..." she nodded...Eyeing him curiously...

"Your pointy hair looks less bloody stupid..." she noted...

Oh...She looked as most of the courtroom attendees tittered...Along with several members of the legal teams...

Uh...Sorry, boss...Illyria sheepishly stifled her grin as Angel glared back at her...And then at Buffy, who rolled eyes...Sorry...

"Sorry...Old bit of data record popping up in my system..." Botty apologized... "I'll arrange to delete that...You do look very nice in a suit, Angel..."

"Thanks..." he frowned at her... "Ms. Summers, R...Who repaired you after you were deposited in the Town of Sunnydale dumpster...?"

She eyed him...Repaired me?...

"Before or after I got off the landfill hill in LA?... 'Cause I think before, it was my automatic emergency repair that got me going again..."

"After..." Angel smiled... "When you regained all these parts that seem to be working so well for you..." She smiled back, shyly pleased...Thanks...

Well...she pondered... "First I was mailed to an engineer in Scotland...Then he couldn't fix my motor control interface, so he had me shipped to Japan...They do neat work on bots in Japan, ya know?...They did most of my new prosthetics too..."

Then, I think to England for a gyroscope and some sensory repairs...And then, Germany, I think...No, it was Switzerland...Geneva, yeah...

Well-traveled girl is our Botty...Willow noted to Buf... "Shut up..." Buffy frowned...

"I remember 'cause I was there when Buffy came into town with the Immortal...One of the lab techs at the electronics firm that was repairing my primary power system showed me a photo of them together in the paper..."

I was kinda shocked...she sighed, not looking at her twin... "I mean...Everybody knew William was alive...And had survived the big fight in LA with the Partners..."

Couldn't understand...I mean after all he'd done when she came back...The soul, the thing at Sunnydale...?

"Buffy...?..." she looked over to her... "How could you leave William for that bloody stupid pointy-haired, aristocratic jerk?..."

Not you, Angel...she hastily noted... "See, I just still need an initial plane of reference in establishing a new character in my data files..."

Buffy now looking round at various members of the court and attendees staring at her...

"Then when I found out who'd arranged for my repairs..." Botty beamed...

Ah...Angel smiled...Waving a finger...

Oh-oh...Failey looked at Herskowitz, then Childs... "She tell any of you guys who that was..." Childs shrugging...Herskowitz attempting to look like one who knew everything but was not inclined to say...

"And who was it, in fact, who actually arranged and paid for your restoration, Ms. Summers, R...?"

Eh, no sweat, girl...Will smiled at the beaming Botty...

"William, of course..." she pointed to him, a loving smile on her face... "After we found each other at the landfill, when one of the Partners' tossed him halfway across LA to die there when dawn came...And my systems were jarred back on...And I pulled him down to a couple of guys who caretake the place...Really nice guys, Hank and Joey, you know them?...The next day, from the hospital, he had me carried over to a local guy who fixed enough of my emergency systems to keep me going...And I was in a crate to Scotland the next day..."

She saved him from the Partners?...He got her fixed?...Buffy hissed to Willow...Who was tearing again..."God, that's so..."

Ummn...Unimportant, next to the one who helped him get his soul back...Yeah...she solemnly noted to her friend...Buffy giving her a narrow look...

Even if she didn't do a thing to help him get the soul back...Willow thought, rolling eyes...

"So...My client, William Soames Walthrop, arranged for your repairs, Ms. Summers, R...Is that correct?..." Angel eyed Botty who nodded...Absobloomingtootly...

How come Will and Angel never told us this?...Gunn hissed to Illyria as they watched...Then eyed her narrowly as she gave a Mona Lisa...Well...Winifred-Mona-Lisa-Illyria...Smile...

"They told you?...Not me...?"

"Will wanted my opinion...He was afraid even then the robotic Ms. Summers might view it in the wrong light..."

"Now, Buffy, R...If I may call you Buffy, R..." Sure...she smiled...Thanks... "Sure...Why would you want to sue the man...Unman...Who'd done this for you?..."

Botty looked down...Ummn...

"I thought it meant..." she paused... "I mean...Buffy H didn't seem interested...What with her hangin' on the Immortal's arm day and night..."

Hey...Buffy frowned...

"So I figured...Will must be trying to say...In his poet's way..." she sighed, smiling at her beloved lil' poet...

"But when I came straight to LA after Switzerland...He didn't...Want to..." she started breaking up...

"Then I..." she frowned... "I lost my temper..."

Didn't know I had one till I lost it...she grinned...

A sound of chuckles through the court...Ms. Summers, R...the judge frowned...

Sorry...

"And I went to see a lawyer...Cause William's a lawyer now as well as a heroic human-souled vamp defender of Humanity and poet...And I thought, since he did order me for a permanent companion...See I'd read up a little on law...To kinda impress him...And there's a lot of cases of women whose boyfriends and fiancees run out on them..."

Not that you ran out, Will...she called...

"Then my first lawyer...The first one I went to...Had me thrown out of his office, saying I must be part of a joke...I went to ten lawyers in LA and San Francisco...And finally one told me I had to be human...Or human-souled, at least...To seek legal redress..."

But...He being a very nice man...He told me in California, practically anything could be declared human by the right judge...

Uh...Sorry...she eyed the frowning judge...

"And so then I watched the episode of "Star Trek" where Mr. Data got declared human...And the old "Outer Limits" episode where they tried a robot for murder..." And I knew I could make as good a case as they could...And I knew a case involving a robot twin of a human Slayer in love with a human-souled vampire was sure to make headlines...So...she beamed... "I looked up on the Net the three most brilliant...And most headline/glory-hogging, mercenary legal minds in the USA today and got them to take my case..."

You go girl...Willow hissed...

Another narrow stare from her companion...Whose side are you on, Willow?...

"Didn't know you were on any side here, Buf..." she replied...

She did all that for me?...William stared at Illyria, then the earnest Botty on the stand...

"Wil...You suppose if I invited him home and made him dinner?..." Buffy hissed...

"Think that would count as more heroic self-sacrifice on his part, Buf..." Willow noted...

more?

Search: The Web Angelfire

"Immortal Beloved..." XCI ...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, . (scroll on down to the IB series)...

LA...Yesterday...

"Look, Slayer...Buffy..." William spoke into the phone Harmony had handed him a moment before... "I understand about the Immortal...About everything...It's fine...But I really don't think..."

Buffy...I'm sorry...But as I keep telling you...Every time you call...he sighed... "I've come to agree with you...We're not meant..."

Well, ok...Agree with the old you...Yes, before the cookies came out...

"I wish she'd stick them back in a little longer..." he hissed to Harmony, hand on phone, listening to Buffy continue...

"Buffy, I appreciate that you...Yes, I believe you...You loved me at the crater, that's wonderful, sweet...But as to our getting together again...Really, I think it would..."

No, no...I'm not seeing anyone...No, I'm not even shagging Harmony...She's human-souled again, Buf...

Not that that would stop me...Harm sighed, watching him speak...

"I just feel there'd be too many obstacles...And come on, love...This only started with you after the Immortal dumped...Right, after you decided he wasn't my redemption-seeking stand-in...Fine..."

Buffy...Ms. Summers...

"I really think I would rather not see you, thanks...I don't see a future with you...I don't see you at all in my life, Buffy..."

No...he frowned at the phone... "I don't think you're beneath me...Where'd you get that?..."

But you were the one who never made an effort to help me when I was Spike...Never worried your pretty head all that time we were lovers...

"Well, you may have been severely depressed, love...But I'd say my condition merited a little attention...If you'd cared for me..."

I won't even get into mentioning how you never went beyond restoring Angel's curse for that 'love of your life'...he thought...Even with Willow the super-wiccan by your side...

"Hell, a kindly staking as an act of love would've been welcome...And I have been back for some time, as you knew...But I don't want go on down this path...I don't blame you, girl...I just don't want to walk this road again..."

Yes, yes...I believe you...And I'm sorry...

"Yes...I'm sure you'll always love me...I'll always love you too, in my way...Goodbye, love...Yes, yes...Now, goodbye..."

Phew...he put down the phone...Which rang again immediately...

"No, I don't want to come and see Dawn, my old babysitting charge...Enough, Buf...Goodbye, good luck...Bye..."

Jesus...he sighed, looking at Harmony... "Ever since His Benevolence took a hike I've been the unrelenting focus...Why can't she just meet some nice, sexy Italian vamp there and relieve the tension...Or find her own true..."

They eyed each other...Her own true...Buffy?...Right, uh-huh...Grinning a bit...

Well, she's sure to find somebody new soon...he noted...

Continuously...

"So..." Harmony looked a bit downcast... "You don't love Buffy anymore..."

Not at all...Will shook his head... "A Buffy Summers is the love of my existence...The Buffy I told you about...From in my dreams while I was alone in the Sunnydale High sub-basement...Visions I had when I was a ghost...And even recently..."

Hmmn...But...Harmony eyed him... "Those are just fantasies, Will..."

No, no...he waved a hand... "They're projections, from other existences, granted to me via my link to the Eternal..."

I had it confirmed by our research staff...They detected quantum teleportational shifts during one of my visions...he noted...

"There is a Buffy out there for me...The one I've dreamed of does exist...One part our Buffy, one part Winifred Burkle...Strength, unbeatable courage, charming wit, infinite compassion, utter devotion, and endless, selfless love in one blonde package..."

The woman of every dream of love I've ever had...he smiled...

"Of course...According to my more concrete visions recently, she's actually a human-souled robot copy of another dimension's Buffy...But she is a Buffy all the same..."

And one day, perhaps here on Earth...Perhaps in Heaven when all the Williams across the infinite multidimensional universe are united...I'll meet her...

A violent crash over near the front entrance...Several security guards tossed back...Harmony rolled her eyes and pulled up her phone, dialing... "911?...We got an intruder again here at Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop..."

Yeah, female, twenty-ish...Same as usual...

"William!..." Buffy called as she entered... "I'm here!..."

Whatever evil force has caused you to claim you don't wanna be with me is gonna get its ass kicked right now...she beamed at him...

"Buffy..." he sighed...

"Immortal Beloved..." XCII...

A shortie..

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...(and of course, Cole's)

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

This one is utterly my wife's fault...Helps to have seen the "Night and Day" duet in "De-Lovely..."

Rome, the courtyard of Buffy and Dawn's apartment building...Late evening...

Utter darkness...

"Ow!..." "Sorry, honey..." "It's ok, sweetie..." a kind tone, Nina's voice...

"Where's William?..." "Right here..." a resigned tone... "I have him..." Illyria's voice... "He's not going anywhere..."

A flashlight popped on...Vague faces briefly glimpsed in the darkness...The light focused on a hand hold a sheet... "Here it is...Take your copy, Will..."

"Here..." Illyria's firm voice...A hand grabbing the sheet away... "He has it...Over here..." The light briefly revealed the face of William...In rather nice tuxedo...Hair slicked back...The beam then running down his arm to where he held the sheet which had been grabbed...Another hand, with dress sleeve running to its wrist holding his hand firmly...

"Wish we'd done this part from the street...I can't see my hand in front of my face...Though thank God there's no moon tonight..." a sigh... "I'd really rather not test out my new restraining spell in public..."

"It will hold when you need it, honey..." Angel's voice, reassuring... "Have you got the CD player?...The guys ready in the street?..."

"Ready to roll...And the guys are standing by..."

"Ok, Mr. Walthrop...You're on..."

"I can't do this...Lets go back to LA..."

"Not a chance...You promised Nina and Illyria here before the Big One that if we made it, you'd go for broke and try..."

"You did, William...We bear witness to your solemn oath..." "Yeah...Angel, don't let him back out now..."

"She doesn't want me...She would've..." A pause...

"You didn't even let her know you were back..." Nina's voice, fuming...

"She knows...And could care less...Hell, she's practically Her Benevolence now if Andrew was telling the truth...Lets leave it be..."

"Not until you have fulfilled your solemn pledge..." Illyria's voice was stern... "A pledge made in the cause of Love must be fulfilled..."

"Wesley would want it that way..." A no excuses permitted tone...

"Will...You have the full resources of a somewhat depleted and disrupted, but still leading multinational behind you..."

Hell, man...Give it a shot...For both our...Ummn...

"Yeah?...You were sayin' babe...?" Nina's tone was somewhat curt...

"Uh...For the sake of Love...Like Illyria says..."

"William..." Harmony's voice cut in from behind..."Even my demon self told you to give her a chance...For her sake..And yours..."

After all...You guys took a chance on me...

"Hell, girl...We knew your demon'd do anything...Even go to Africa and get her soul...To get her job back..."

"Well then...For what you owe my soul...After takin' shameful advantage of me..."

Arrggh...

"Look...I can't sing this...Lets go back to LA and try selecting another tune, a few weeks or months of singing lessons...I could try writing some new poems..."

"No...!..." Illyria, Nina, Harmony in chorus...

"Look, Will...This one is sure fire...You can sing this...You just have to remember who you're singing it for...The love of your life...My Angelus demon could win Buffy over with this one...Just remember she's the One...The love of your existence..."

"Especially if that thing we dug out of the W-H archives about that Cicely person and Buffy is true..." Illyria noted...

"All you have to do is think of the words...And of the one you love..." Angel urged...

"The one He loves..." Nina firmly noted... Uh, yeah...

"I'll sing with you...Here..." Angel's hand came into the beam of light still held on the sheet in William's hand...Holding its own copy.."Where are you?...Ok..."

Would you kindly move your hand off my face?...William fumed...

"Hit it, honey..." Sound of a CD player starting...

Angel, then William reluctantly joining in...

(Night and Day, Cole Porter...)

"Like the beat beat beat of the tom-tom

When the jungle shadows fall...

Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock

As it stands against the wall...

(Gotta admit it has that unrelenting, obsessive quality...Will noted...Cordy always loved that song, Harm sighed sadly...Nina patting her...)

Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops

When the summer shower is through...

So a voice within me keeps repeating you, you, you..."

(Lights go on in the Summers' apartment above...

"Ok, hit it guys...!" Nina's voice into a microphone...Floodlights come on from the front and sides of the courtyard...An orchestra now is heard booming from the street outside...)

"Night and day, you are the one

Only you beneath the moon or under the sun..."

("Beautiful, guys..." Nina beams at the two...Angel with hand on William's chest...Illyria holding Will's arm...A slightly dreamy look on her now-visible Winifred face...Harmony likewise, standing to William's other side...)

"Whether near to me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are...

I think of you... Night and day..."

("What the ...?" a call from the balcony above...)

Angel, William, Illyria...Harmony joining in...

("Illyria?...Harmony?...Better let the boys..." Nina begins...)

"Day and night, night and day, why is it so

That this longing for you follows wherever I go

In the roaring traffic's boom...

("Angel, honey?...I think Will can take it now..." "William?...You really are...?...William?...Hey?..." Buffy's voice now cutting in...

Angel and William staring at each other intently as they sing...Illyria looking rather adoringly into William's eyes...Harmony singing rather plaintively to the night...)

"In the silence of my lonely room

I think of you

Day and night, night and day ..."

("Uh, guys?...Illyria?...Buffy's here..." "William?...Angel?...")

"Under the hide of me

There's an oh such a hungry yearning, burning inside of me

And this torment won't be through

Until you let me spend my life making love to you

Day and night, night and day ..."

("Will?..." "Oh, hi Buffy...Nice to see you...Excuse us..."

"Where the hell are the three of them going?..." Buffy eyed Nina...Who stared after them...

Harmony still singing to the night sky...

"Hey, Will...Wait up!..." "Angel!")

"Night and day, you are the one

Only you beneath the moon or under the sun

Whether near to me, or far

It's no matter darling where you are

I think of you...

Day and night, night and day, why is it so

That this longing for you follows wherever I go...

In the roaring traffic's boom

In the silence of my lonely room..."

(Will, Angel, Illyria's voices fading as they walked off, Buffy and Nina hurrying after...)

"I think of you

Day and night, night and day ...

(Cordy..." Harmony added as she stood alone, the orchestra's music behind her...

"Hey, Will, wait!..." Buffy's voice, calling...)

"Immortal Beloved..." XCIII...

A shortie..

.PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...(and of course, Cole's)

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

LA...Night...

Ah!...A sudden scream...

A light pops on, revealing a rather battered-looking slight man swathed in bandages...His blonde, if somewhat singed hair visible above the facial wrappings, sitting up and leaning on the edge of what is clearly a hospital bed...His arm extended to the lamp on a small night table which he's snapped on...

"Hey...You alright, mate?..." he looks over to the bed across from his...

"I had the dream again..."

Yeah?...

"Had Buffy's head shoved in a bucket of horse piss...It dissolved into cookie dough goo, floating on the surface..."

"So it was the same one again..." William nodded...Yeah, the heavily bandaged Angel sighed from where he lay...

"Of course...That's just something floating in from Angelus...I've moved on..." Angel noted...

"Absolutely..." William nodded...

"She might have send a card, though...Even Andrew sent a card..." Angel's voice sounded a bit miffed...

"Dawn sent me one...Said she was sorry not to call or write when Andy told them after Dana...She wants to visit during summer break..."

"So you told me...Five times today..."

"Didn't say a word about Buffy though...Except that she was visiting the Immortal's place in the Austrian Alps..."

"So you said...Many times..."

Hey...A hurt tone... "You're the one who woke me up...With a rather Freudian dream, if you ask me..."

"I didn't...Besides...Don't tell me you of all people weren't hurt when she didn't show..."

"She's moved on...I've accepted it...I always said I knew I didn't have a chance, right?..."

"Are you saying it didn't bother you?...Knowing she knew what was up and she couldn't be bothered to come?...Hell, even Giles sent help and he hates me...For good reasons, I suppose..."

"Well, she wasn't really monitoring things with the Council, that Slayer, Gretchen said...Has been trying to keep her distance this last year..."

"Well...Angelus' rage aside...I'm annoyed with her, I don't mind sayin'...God, how many times did I risk death for her?..."

"After you and she called it quits?..." a mocking tone... "I'd say exactly zero, but for the Big One...Including the time you didn't even try to help her after she came back, remember?... Something about 'separate paths' wasn't it...?"

He frowned over at his hospital roommate... "And I can tell you...She needed help then like never before...And she was hurt..."

"She was?...Hmmn...I guess I was preoccupied...I figured long as she was alive again...And I did come when her Mom died...And for the Big One, I was there..."

"True enough...She did appreciate that I know..."

"So?...Where was she?...I mean, just for old times' sake...Friendship...Saving the head of an organization on her side that could be invaluable in helping her Slayers...And..." Angel paused...

You...

Hmmn?...

"Well, for God's sake William...You won your soul back for love of her...You saved her and the world and you've done nothing but good since...And you..." a sigh... "Even as Spike you were there when she needed you that year...When I didn't show..."

How she can not at least?...

"Probably just doesn't want me gettin' ideas...Tryin' to be kind in her blonde, Californianly thoughtless way..."

"You still in love with her?...You are, aren't you?..."

"Sure...You?..."

"I have a girlfriend...And I guess it was over a while ago...Look, Will...Why don't you take Illyria out when we get outta here?...She's still moping over poor Wes but she knows he's with Fred now..."

"I like Lyri...But..." a sigh..

"Don't you hate her a little?...She didn't even call after Andy told her how you got your hands cut off saving that maniac Dana?..."

"No...Well, I mean...It hurts some, sure..."

Ok, a lot...

"But...I can't make her care, can I?..."

Hmmn... "Well, you know...Will...She's not all that smart when it comes to magics protection..."

"Come on...My demon threw her invisible ass out when she wouldn't fess up to her guys about us...I'm not gonna stoop to love spelling now..."

Though, God...She was a sucker for love spells...

"Say, how do we know the Immortal doesn't use magics?...Ever?...All we got is the word of a Wolfram-Hart staffer...Who coulda been workin' for him?...Hey, maybe the Immortal was one of the Partners...Maybe he took Buffy and was arranging our deaths...Or to have us wipe out the others and leave him head honcho..."

"While we're wishing things like this...I'd like a pony..."

"Didn't Dawn's card say anything about Buffy?..."

"Just what I tole ya..."

"I say that's suspicious...We outta call Giles and demand the lowdown on His Benv..."

"If it makes you happy, go ahead...Best wait till morning in England, though..."

"Why don't we go to England?...We still got the jet...I'm CEO of the new firm thanks to all the threats of revealing the tight connections of our national and state leaders to the foul evil of the Partners...We could just go...On a visit to check out our roots, say...And while we're looking up your past in London, we pay a call on Rupert and the Council..."

And all those Slayers who left you their numbers...he noted...

Hmmn...Will pondered...

"The fourteen who stayed on in LA to visit me could use a ride back to England...They're still in training there..."

"Perfect...And if Giles confesses to us that he has doubts about His Benevolence..." (And being Rupert Giles he is sure to at least have 'doubts'...Will noted...) "We go to Austria and make sure alls well..."

Hmmn...Nah...Will shook his head...

"We looked like idiots in Rome...Lets not go that way again...If Rupert gives us something concrete, we can think it over then...After all, if he were really worried..."

I guess so...A disappointed tone...

"But a trip to England and maybe to see your old sod across the way would be nice...I'd like to see if any family made it to the present..."

"Yeah...I suppose I should too...Now that I can help them out, my mother would appreciate my looking out for the family...Though in modern-day Ireland, they're probably not making out badly..."

"Less of course all surviving family you didn't kill were hunted down and massacred as relatives of Angelus..." Will noted...

"My people are survivors...Some probably made it...Say?...Were there really fourteen of them who stayed behind here to visit you?..."

"You were there when they came yesterday...They'll probably be in today...Count em..."

"Whoa...And all because of the memories they got from her?..."

Guess so...

"Nice ladies, too...And that Gretchen's quite the beauty..."

"I guess..."

"Will, if she can move on...Without even tryin' at closure..."

"I am what I am, mate...Victorians mate rarely, usually for life..."

"Jesus...At least admit you're angry at her...Even some of the Slayers were mad at her..."

"I don't want it to end in anger...I've done enough of that...But the England trip's a good idea when we're up for it...Go back to bed, Angel..."

And try to remember the good times...I try to...

He snapped off the light...

"Immortal Beloved..." XCIV...

A shortie..

.PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...(and of course, Cole's)

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

Ok, I lied about stopping at 50...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Rome...The day after the final battle with the Senior Partners in LA...

He looked at the tape player Dawn had passed over to him …Pressed for a rewind…

"Andrew?..." he turned to the boy… "I never said a word…I promised him...and you…"I never mentioned his being there…I swear…" Andrew in tears now…Dawn hugging him…

"I see…" Giles looked at Andrew… "And she got this just this morning…After the news from LA last night?…"

"Giles?..." Dawn sighed... "Why didn't you tell us what was up in LA, Giles?...Even if she hadn't known he was there, alive…She would have gone to help Angel, whatever you said about him…"

She would have been there even if she couldn't have saved him…

"I thought it for the best…Honestly…He'd had the sense not to come…She seemed…The Immortal and she…" Giles paused…Fighting to hold on…

Did she say anything, after listening to this?...He indicated the now-rewound tape…

"She just stared at it a while..." Dawn said quietly… "Then she locked herself in her room…Playing it over and over...And when I couldn't get her to answer or come to the door…I called you…" she sat down suddenly, her face shadowed and drained…

Giles pressed the play button…

The high, somewhat squeaky voice of Cole Porter, accompanied by thumping piano…

(from "You're the Top"…Cole Porter)

"At words poetic, I'm so pathetic…That I always have found it best…

Instead of getting them off my chest…To let them rest…

Unexpressed…

I hate parading…My serenading…And I'll probably miss the bar…

But if this ditty…Is not so pretty…

At least it'll tell you how great you are…

You're the top…"

He, Andrew, and Dawn quietly listened to the end…Where William's voice suddenly cut in over Porter's…A warm, embracing tone...

"…but if my Buffy I'm the bottom…

You are... most definitely...the top…"

"Immortal Beloved..." XCIV...

A shortie..

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The usual-One of (95 now) multiple versions of the outcome

from "Girl in Question" or further in Angel S5 to "Not Fade Away..."

This is actually a short...And somewhat different version of what will

be IB100...

'Fraid I couldn't resist trying it this way first...

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at

.com/zine2 , scroll down to

"Immortal Beloved" series...

"Ok...So...The baby, saved from its terrible fate as the holy vessel of the cruel, if excellent-prenatal-care-provid -ing demons...Was taken to safety, under the protection of his rescuer, Prince William..." A woman's voice, perhaps a tad weary...

"Who killed all those guys, right?...The ones who were gonna hurt the baby?..."

"Well..." a man's voice cut in... "They didn't plan to hurt the kid per se...At least not for a while...Lets not be unfair to them..."

"But the Prince got 'em all, right...?" "Well..." a slight hesitatation...

"Oh, yeah..." the woman's voice hastily cut in... "He took out all of them...And they will never bother the baby again...Ever..."

"Never..." the man's voice agreed...

"And so, at last, the noble, beautiful, and loving Prince was freed from his dark curse by his beloved...And became a Hero and Champion in arms with the gallant Prince Angelus, fighting courageously for all that's good..."

The rather exhausted-sounding woman, by appearance just into her late twenties, eyed the boy tucked away in his bed...

"Beautiful?..." the man's voice questioned... "No doubt about it..." the woman's smilingly replied...

"Yeah, yeah...But you can't end it there...What about the brave and handsome Princess?...What was she doing sittin' in Europe with that other guy?...Who's no good, right?..." a nervous look with the plaintive tone... "I mean, he can't be the Immortal Beloved, right?...When did she come to LA to find the real one, the Prince I mean?...There's gotta be more..." the eight year old eyed his mother who sighed, wearily, lifting herself from the bed where she'd been precariously perched... "Sure...But, tomorrow, kiddo...Mummy's pooped..."

"Dad?..." the boy looked to his father, likewise sitting on the bed...

"Mum's telling this one, laddie..." he smiled at the boy... "'Sides...I don't know this part of the story so well..."

Though am kinda curious to hear it myself...he grinned at 'Mum' who frowned at him...

"See...Dad wants to hear too...Mom?...Please?..."

Urghh...Thanks, sweetheart...she glared at her slight, blonde mate...

"Ok...One more chapter and that is it...I mean it..."

"Ok..." the boy nodded...Deal struck...

"All right...Where were we...?"

"Prince William and Prince Angel...The vamp heroes...And the others, Queen Illyria and Prince Charlie, were about to clobber the big-bad guys...the Old Partners..."

"Senior Partners..."

"Right...Were those guys like...Bad cowboys?..."

"Oh, yeah..." the father grinned... "A regular demonic crew of gunslingers...Ridin' in after their hired aces, the Black Thorns, bit the dust to try and send the boys to their long-belated ash-heaps..."

Cool... "And the Princess was about to help them, right?...After takin' out the Immoral Asswipe?..."

"Hey!..."

"Soory..."

"You taught him that, didn't you?..." "Me?..." an innocent look... "You..."

"Guys..." the boy frowned at his parents...Who looked at him...

"Ok...But no more swearin', got me?..."

The boy eyed his dad who gave a careful eye roll...If you want more from her tonight...

"Yeah, sorry..."

"Anyway, the Princess wasn't about to 'clobber' the Immortal..." the woman began...

No?...A disappointed chorus from father and son...

Ummn...Well...The mother looked a tad sheepish...

"She still kinda thought..."

"Oh, no...No...The Princess is not in love with that creep...Anybody can see he's the bad guy...Workin' for the Pardners...She's not that dumb..." the boy noted confidently...

Dad eyeing his wife...Well?...

"Wasn't a question of being 'dumb', Will..." she informed her son, frowning at Dad... "The Princess was still very sad over losing the Prince before she could make him see how much she loved him...And she was trying to find a little consolation..."

Had been for a...very...long time...

"Something or someone to make her feel better..." she explained to the boy's puzzled look...

Really?...Dad noted dryly...

"And the Prince having been so gutless as not to trust the Princess with his heart again ...Although she had been made aware of Prince William's return...And had worked on her own valiantly to lift his horrible curse...She didn't know if he could love her again...Enough..."

It had been a while...she sighed...

"And there was the burden of his horrible curse..."

"... 'But on hearing of the battle coming, she had to go to LA and save him...And Prince Angelus'..." the boy prompted... "After she dealt with the other guy..."

"Who's telling this, Will?..." Mom eyed him...

Sorry... "But I know this part...The Princess learned the Immortal...Whatever...Was about to go to LA with the Evil One...The One who'd cursed him and now would destroy Prince William forever..."

And she got 'em both first...a grin...

"Will..."

"Well she did..."

"Ok, she did..." Mom conceded... Ya...the boy and Dad chorused...

"Though of course she didn't hurt the Evil One too much..." she carefully noted... "Just made her a friend...And helper..."

"And then she went to LA...And freed Prince William and Prince Angelus from their curses..."

And then, after she was sure of them, helped them gore and slaughter the Partners...the boy beamed...

"So, even she suspected him of selling out to the Other Side?..Even with ...?" a frown from Dad...

"No...Never..." Mom insisted... "But she couldn't be sure...Maybe the Evil One was still holding him somehow..."

Or, worst of all...Maybe he truly didn't love her anymore...

"Ridiculous..." Dad snorted...

"Well, she didn't know...He'd never called her after he came back...From the magic amulet...The guy who'd let his demon be driven back to Hell for love, won his soul back voluntarily for a Slayer?...What was she supposed to think?..."

"He shoulda called her..." the boy agreed... "Absolutely..." Mom nodded...

"And even now he was gutless about...Didn't even try to face her after the fight..."

That was kinda gutless...the boy nodded...

"So whaddid she do?...And how did she clobber the bloody stupid guy?..."

"She didn't hurt Prince Angelus..." Mom looked puzzled...

"I mean the other guy, 'His Benevolence'...Bloody stoopid if ya ask me..." the boy grinned at Dad who returned grin...

"Don't say that when Uncle Liam's around..." Mom hastily noted... "Ok, well the Princess was visiting in Rome, Italy..."

A knock at the door...

"Told you it was late..." Mom sighed... "Come in..."

A wan-looking Buffy in nurse's outfit entered carefully...Ma'am...she nodded...

"Is it feeding and bath time already, Buffy?..." Dru eyed her kindly...Soulless Spike smiling at her as well...Hey, Slayer...

"Yes, ma'am..." Buffy came over... "How are you feeling, ma'am...?"

"'Bout as good as a pregnant vampire can feel, Buffy, thank you...I do wish Grandmother were still on Earth to help me through this..."

"Now, Dru...Angelus and I reviewed the entire Wolfram-Hart spell catalog...It will be fine, you know that..." Spike patted her...

"And Buffy can always call her friends Willow and Giles and get some advice with a little careful manipulation by us...Right, Buffy?...You could speak to them without getting them all upset about you?..."

Yes, William...a wan nod... "Like after I helped Dru kill the Immortal in Rome...And stole the Angelus curse disk for her so she could help you and Angelus...They still think I went to be with you in LA..."

"Well, love you did..." he patted her... "In a manner of speakin'...Anyway we're all one big happy family now, eh?...You and the Nibs are very happy with us, right?..."

Yes, William... "I don't think Dawn should be fed on again for a few days yet, though...She's very weak..." she noted...

"Absolutely...Maybe we'll take her over to LA General for a transfusion later..." he nodded... "Though of course we don't want to wait too long to give Will Jr and the new one an older sister..."

No, William...Buffy nodded...

"Well...Will Jr, since it's feeding and bath time...We'll continue the story later, ok...?" Dru patted the boy who took demon face...

"You promise?..."

"Ok..."he sighed... "Hi, Auntie Buffy..."

"Hello Will..." Buffy nodded, with vague smile... "Ready for dinner and your bath?..."

"Yeah..."

She knelt and exposed her well-marked neck to him...He sinking fangs...

"Could you do more of the story after I finish, while I get my bath...?" he looked up from Buffy's neck...Blood smeared on his lips... "Auntie Buffy wants to hear the story too, don't you Auntie Buffy?..."

Ohhh...Yesss...Buffy whispered faintly...

"Tomorrow, tomorrow...Mom and lil' sis here..." Dru patted her swelled middle... "...are for bed..."

"Best to let it go, lad...Your mum'll continue it tomorrow...And every day, til it's done...For now, it's bedtime for Mumso and your

sis...and you, after your bath..."

"O...K..." a sigh...

"Not too much, William...Auntie Buffy is a little tired these days..." Dru cautioned...

"Immortal Beloved..." XCVI...

A shortie..

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The usual-One of (96 now) multiple versions of the outcome from "Girl in Question" or further in Angel S5 to "Not Fade Away..."

This one being of course in part a little tribute to one of my favorite Asimov characters…

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to

"Immortal Beloved" series...

Rome...

"I have to go…" Buffy softly noted…The divinely handsome figure next to her sighed but nodded… "Of course you do…He's your beloved, Buffy…I'm glad for you and I understand…"

"I'm sorry…" she began… "It has been very nice these past…"

The apartment front door was thrown open…The couple on the sofa looked to see a fuming Dawn and rather miffed Andrew coldly staring at them…

"All right, you!..." Dawn cried…Waving a charm of some sort… "You're had it!..." she tossed the charm, a chain of antique metal balls like a bracelet at Buffy…

"Your Evil power is broken…Thanks to Chairman Giles and the Watchers' Council…!" Andrew struck what he took to be a defiant Watcher's pose…

"Hardly Evil, my friend…" the Immortal shook his head as Buffy stared at him…My God…

"And your token there would only have a temporary effect…If I wished to oppose you…" the now little and rather deformed man smiled at the charm on the floor…

"He's not what he seems, Buffy…Never has been…He's been deceiving us with some kinda telepathic power…" Dawn glared at the Immortal… "Giles' spell has made us see him clearly…" A nervous glance... "You better get him in case he's right…"

And tell me…Please…You never went all the way with this guy…she thought, eyeing the shocked Buffy…Who'd fled the sofa and was now standing, facing the little man who looked up at them with sad, quiet eyes…

"You tricked me…Tried to…" Buffy fumbled for the stake in her pocket…

"No, Buffy…It is true I used my power to conceal my true form…As I have for centuries…And I did try to lessen your grief over William…I couldn't bear seeing you suffer so…"

But I was perfectly willing to let you go today…he noted… "And you know yourself you've never been made to stop loving him…Or to love me…"

"You were in my mind…Made me…"

"No, only the lightest on your mind's surface…And again, I never moved you to change your feelings…Only to help put a little distance between you and grief…"

"I would have gone to him…When Andrew told us…"

"No…" he shook his head… "I never stopped you from going…You feared to face him and learn why he hadn't come straight to you…It was your fear not any control of mine…"

Must be damned good power to get us to not see that form for so long…Andrew noted…

"Don't trust him, Buf…Giles finally got the dope on him…He's a mighty telepath…God knows what he really was doing to you…" Dawn moved to her sis' side…

The Immortal sighed and shook his head…

"Did Mr. Giles also tell you that I only use my ability for the cause of peace and to protect the helpless and spare the suffering pain?…Though I must be sparing in its use to prevent the evil, or those who would deem me a monster if they knew of my power from destroying me…As, obviously, I have little but my power to defend me…"

"Sure you do…You're His Benevolence…" Dawn sneered… "Make everyone worship you, make my poor sis love you, and then…"

"No…" Buffy shook her head…Eyeing the little man, who carefully adjusted his twisted, badly deformed arms with what was now, clearly, great pain…And settled, a hair more comfortable, as he sat… "He didn't make me love him…"

"Thank you…" the Immortal nodded…

"Though you did influence me, I know that now…" she eyed him coolly…

"Only in the mildest way, Buffy…And if I chose, I could, even now with Mr. Giles' toy there opposing me…Reduce the three of you to mindless servitude…Or blank the memory of all these events from your minds…" he smiled…

But I am not a monster, merely a wreck of man with a gift he's slowly learned to try to use in what ways he can to help Humankind…Please, listen to me…I do want people to understand me…

"It was only after many years, centuries ago, that I discovered Nature had not only trapped me in this miserable form you see before you for all eternity…But, perhaps in recompense, given me the ability to bend wills to mine…It took even longer for me to realize that no other, even among the supernatural, had my power…"

And the responsibility that came with it…Which I must admit took me a good number of those intervening centuries to acquire…I did indeed have my time of petty conquest and power, lording my ability over others until the slow lessons of Time taught me to care for my fellow humans and to admire…and desire…genuine, unforced feeling above all else…

"Not that I never use my abilities today as you know…The millions who admire me and perhaps in a way, love me, would never love what you see before you…They see what they want to see in their hero…But I don't put anything but what they themselves desire in their minds…And of course I have used my mental powers to protect others…"

"You've been controlling me..." Buffy began coldly…"Trying to make me love you…"

"No, Slayer…At least not in the way you think…Your kindly feelings for me, the friendship we've developed over these past months is your own emotion…"

A feeling I cherish…And will continue to…he smiled wanly at her… "Though I know you've never loved me, even in my rather charming illusion…"

"Damned right!…My sis'll never be yours…" Dawn raged…

"Dawn, I never expected she would…And it would have been pointless to force her to be…I only wanted to help her…First with her grief, then…When he came back…Until she was ready for this moment…When she'd go back to face him and reveal what is in her heart…Which she is going to do, now…" he looked at Buffy…

Though it will be a very tough fight, she will…he smiled sadly…

"You never…That's all you wanted?..." Buffy eyed him…

"It's all I could ever hope to have…Nature having played me one last little trick…" he shook his head…

"Certainly I could have made you very happy, Buffy…But though I may have tried to ease your pain in the past months, I've never forced and have no wish to force the emotion on you…And it would be necessary for me to do so to keep you with me now…"

He eyed the three…And they could feel the faint touch of his mind, revealing its vast latent force…

"So, Slayer, you and your friends go in peace, in the name of what I choose to call…Friendship…And save your beloved…"

Buffy paused at the door, Dawn and Andrew waiting, a bit nervously, outside…

"Who are you…Really?..."

"I have been many names…" the little man sighed…Rubbing his twisted nose…

"But perhaps the one that truly suits me…Is that of 'The Mule'…"

Not, obviously, for my physical strength…A rueful smile…

"Immortal Beloved..." XCVII...

A shortie..

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The usual-One of (97 now) multiple versions of the outcome from "Girl in Question" or further in Angel S5 to "Not Fade Away..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

Rome...late...The day before the battle with the Senior Partners at LA...

"You're not going...Even now?..." Dawn stared at her sister, seated rather languidly on their apartment sofa next to her latest...The, as always immaculately groomed, divinely handsome, Immortal...

Buffy looked at her with cool, appraising eyes... "Giles only said there seemed to be trouble brewing with the Black Thorn Circle...Angel may be up to something...Or he may have sold out to them after all...We'll have to wait and see..."

But...Dawn hesitated...Buffy smiling at her...

"All of a sudden he matters to you?...After you telling me all year long it was for the best that he didn't come...That we don't see each other..."

I think my sis misses her old babysitter...she turned to the Immortal with a grin...

"He saved our lives, Buffy...And...You..." the girl paused again, eyeing her sis carefully...

She's just afraid to let the feelings break out...That's gotta be it...She looked over to where their surprise guest, one Xander Harris, sat in a chair...Thoughtfully watching them all...But nodding to Buffy...

"I think Buf's right, Dawn...Best to see what happens...If Angel really is moving against the Partners we can get help in there in a few hours or so..."

"He...And Angel...Could be dust by then..." Dawn shook her head...

"I'm worried for them too, Dawnie..." a note of concern now injected... "But we've gotta sensible about this..."

"If he'd been sensible..." Dawn began...

"Spike would still be on Earth...And poor William might actually be happier, safe in Heaven..." Buffy's voice was cool again... "I can't take a team of half-trained Slayers in till we know what's up..."

Take a team?...Dawn looked at her...

Since when would sis ever bother with a team...Or hesitate...For Angel and Will?...

"Things are different now, Dawn..." her sis reading her thoughts... "I have responsibilities...And someone I care about who would worry about me..." a smile to her companion...

"Angel...And William...Are still my friends...I hope...And I care about them...But I hafta be sensible..."

'Sides...she shrugged with a teasing smile... "I go charging in there and what's poor Will gonna think...Be cruel to get his hopes up, don't ya think?..."

"I don't understand why you haven't gone before...Or at least called...At least after Andy came back..."

"He didn't feel like coming here then...And when he did come, he didn't stay and see me...I think it's best to let things be, sis..."

"Absolutely..." Xander chimed in...

His Benevolence seemed a trifle exhausted, he noticed...And somewhat vaguely agitated...

Buffy taking note as well, turned to her latest... "You look tired, Henri...Why don't I call you a cab home?..."

"Not just yet, my dear..." he smiled...And turned to Xander...

"So, Mr. Harris, do you know what Chairman Giles plans to do here?..."

"Just what you guys know...He'll monitor the sit, call us if things seem to be going dangerous..."

And has at least twenty local Slayers standing by...Very eager to meet Spike...er William...

"Exactly..." Buffy beamed... "So, you see Dawnie...No reason to worry...Or to get Will hurt by making him think things that will never be..."

"You said you loved him...You told me you meant it...For months you were acting like..."

"At the time, I did...But that was a different time...I've moved on..." Buffy cut her off, settling back in the sofa... "And as I pointed out, he didn't feel inclined to come to me..."

And, again...I have someone else to think about now...She looked over to a clock set on an end table...

"Time you headed for bed, kiddo..."

"I'm not a kid..." an irritated frown...

"Indulge me..." Buffy gave her a serious look... "Besides I'll sure as heck be heading for bed in a few...And I want a minute alone with my two cuties here..."

Hmmn...Ok, the Big, Dangerous Plan must be kept from lil' Dawnie...Dawn frowned...

Well...Just so long as she is going...This new 'Cautious Commander' Buffy persona may please ole Giles...Apparently even Xander...But I much prefer 'Risk It All for My Loves and Buds' Buffy...

"All right..." she sighed... "But if you hear anything..." "We'll drag you outta bed if we have to to wake you..." Buffy smiled... "Don't worry...Will and Angel are big vamp boys, they'll be fine...Right, Henri?...Xander?..."

"They'll be ok, Dawn..." Xander nodded...

She returned the nod and came over for a hug, then to Buffy...And turned to go...

"Hey?..." Buffy's voice was a tad sharp... "No kiss night-night for my feller?..."

"Sorry, nite..." Dawn gave a quick wave at His Benevolence who smiled and waved back as she went into her bedroom...

"I guess Dawn just doesn't like to give up those romantic fantasies..." Buffy smiled at Xander who shrugged and smiled back...

"Yeah, well...She's probably still got the guilts about William..." he said quietly... "She was feeling pretty badly she never got a chance to tell him she was sorry about the way she treated him that last year...And proud of him..."

"Hey, so am I..." Buffy shrugged... "But I have to be the Slayer Corps Commander as well as sentimental Buffy..."

Sure...Xander nodded...

"But it's good to have you here, Xander...I've missed you..." she reached to pat him... "Just why though did Giles send you now...?"

"He didn't...Though he does know I'm here..."

Oh...

Hmmn-hmmn...

"So what was it?...You heard from Giles about LA and wanted to be sure crazy for love Buf didn't do the foolish, headstrong thing?..."

"Something like that..." he grinned...

"Well...No need to worry...I've finally managed to get some of Giles' teachings through my thick, sentimentally romantic blonde skull..."

Great...he nodded...

"That's all I needed to hear..." he smiled at her, rising a little...

"And exactly what An warned me you'd say..." he whirled, then pulled up and fired a gun of sorts...Into the chest of the startled Immortal, who cried out...

An?...the words had barely left Buf's lips when the dart from his gun whizzed at her...She caught it with one hand...

"Nice try…Big Brother…" she sneered, tossing the dart aside and rising… "And I gotta hand it to you, 'one who sees all even with one eyeball missin'…But you're no match for me, boy…"

"Eh..." he shrugged as she deftly moved to dodge his second shot and block his escape...Sorry, but I will have to kill you now...she noted...

"I've learned a few things in my time...Your Benevolence..." he tossed a box at her which opened in mid-air to reveal a net formed of wires and some kind of gelatinous goo...She tried to avoid it but it struck her and adhered at all points of contact...A violent electrical discharge beginning as soon as it had made contact at two places...

She shuddered and collapsed, eyes rolling as she writhed on the floor...The net flowing over her...Glowing with intense energy...

Dawn's door opened... "No, Dawn!...Keep back!.." he put up a hand as she hurried out to them in nightie and robe... "What the...?...Buffy!..." she cried at the Slayer now shaking and nearly convulsing on their living room floor...

"It's ok, Dawn!...But keep back till it's done!..." Xander pulled at her...She jumping back from him... "What are you doing to her?...Who are you?..." she backed further, then looked for help to the sofa where the Immortal was now sprawled and either unconscious or...

No longer worthy of his title...

"No, Dawnie...It is me..." Xander sighed as she looked for a way out...No chance, boxed in...She reached in her robe to pull out a cell phone...Trying to dial while watching him and her sis on the ground...Buffy now a bit further away from convulsions apparently, but still shaking as the current or energy of some sort flowed across the net over her...

"You can go ahead and call Giles...He knows about it...Dawn, you know Buf's been acting strangely..." he stopped as Buffy let out a low, painful moan...Both of them looking at her

As something...Rather like a shiny jellyfish...Emerged...Tightly folded at first, then expanding to a large, flat disc, from her right nostril...

My God...Dawn stared...As Buffy slowly opened her eyes, staring round the room...

She stared at the jellyfishlike thing as it wriggled on the ground by her…

"Wha…What the hell…"

"Buf…Dawn..." Xander waved at the thing on the ground… "May I introduce…the Immortal…"

Or at least the transfer vessel for his consciousness…

"What?..." Dawn looked at the thing...Buffy struggling to sit up, then, with a hoist from Xander, to her rather wobbily feet...

"According to Giles, he…it…can keep a human host in almost perfect condition, exactly as it was the day it entered for upwards of a thousand years before a new host is required…The guys who finally fingered him in the archives after I got to London the other day say His B has switched genders a number of times in the past...I guess this host was reaching its warranty expiration and he...It...Figured the greatest Slayer would be a definite trade up…"

Entered?...Buffy looked at the writhing mass…Which reared up a bit…Appearing almost…Enraged?...

"Careful!..." Xander threw a sofa cushion over the raging little mass as it fired out a long tentacle towards her…Both she and Dawn backing off...He threw several books on the cushion and then set a heavy table, marble side down on top...The stack quivered then was quiet...

"That tentacle must be how it first gets its hooks into a host…The process takes weeks to months of preparation, Giles' boys in London said…Though he gains a measure of influence over the new host preety quick...Which is why you didn't tell us when he inserted it...And weren't quite the romantic idiot Buf we all knew and fretted over all those months back after Sunnydale... "

Dawn nodding, with a smile now...That's our big bro...

"But…" Buffy eyed the handsome body on the floor by the sofa… "He was still…"

"The final move is telepathic...He gains more and more control but doesn't do the actual transfer until the body is completely prepped and the brain ready…Though he tried a rush job when he realized I was on to him..."

She sat down, still stunned…

Oh, my God...she looked up to them...

"William!...He's..."

"Yeah...He's alive...Well, you know...And in LA..."

"I remember..." she nodded...Frowning at the body... "He...It...Is allied to the Partners...Or was...He was hoping...I think...His buddies and Angel and Will would kill each other off in the final battle, with a little help from us, leaving him free..."

As me...she sighed... "To enslave the Slayer Corps using his little parasites..."

Eehew...Not that I disapprove of Willow's lifestyle choices... she hastily noted...

"But we can't stand around here!..." She staggered a bit then straightened... "I've gotta get to LA!...Now!...Dawn, give me your phone!...Oh God, I'll never make it, now!" she eyed Xander rather desperately...

And somewhat annoyed...I mean, not ungrateful to have that thing outta my skull, but geesh...Couldn't you have come a day or two sooner?...

"Don't worry..." Xander grinned... "Giles is sending every Slayer he can get hold of to LA and I've got an orb of Callistos in my bag...We can teleport as soon as you rest a little..."

"I gotta call him!..."

"You gotta rest first, Buf..." he shook his head... "And let me make sure all of...It..." They all eyed the Immortal's past human form... "Is outta you..."

Yeah...Definitely...Dawn nodded, looking at the sofa cushion...Which still quivered slightly...Buffy eyeing it as well...

"Well...Let me make sure of It, anyway..." she frowned...And with a quick, hard shove, crushed down on the upturned table and book stack...

A squishing sound...And a very faint, high-pitched shriek-like sound...

Followed by a seeping of...Eehew...Dawn twisted her mouth at the green mush...

Our landlord is not gonna like this...

"That outta settle His Benevolence..." Buffy coldly frowned at the remains...Then staggered again a little, Dawn and Xander steadying her...

Guess I better rest a mo at that...she noted wearily... "If I'm gonna show my Champion the way the Slayer proves her 'I love yous'..."

Uh-boy...Dawn sighed...Oh, well...Knew I'd wind up with a vamp in-law one way or the other someday...

"But..." Buffy looked at Xander... "How did you...Did Giles?..."

"An old friend told me the other night...And finally got me to go to London about it..." he smiled... "Actually she's been trying to warn me for weeks now but you know me...She had to practically take material form and toss me outta bed to make me believe it wasn't just a dream..."

By the way, if you could ask William about that corporealization spell after you save him in LA?...

"She did want me to apologize though..." he grinned at them... "She knows you woulda preferred her reaching Will and sending him straight to ya..."

But An's the romantic idiot type too...

"Immortal Beloved..." XCVIII..

.

A shortie..

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The usual-One of (98 now) multiple versions of the outcome from "Girl in Question" or further in Angel S5 to "Not Fade Away..."

Archived at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

Downtown LA...About 1 am...

A slight man of about late twenties in appearance staggered down a street which clearly had been visited by some mammoth catastrophe...The long-heralded 'Big One' at last, perhaps?...

There were certainly the vast cracks and gaping holes in the boulevard in front and behind him, the badly-damaged buildings...In particular, the shattered Wolfram-Hart Tower building behind him, the broken gas mains on fire, the broken and spouting water mains, the mass of debris...Destroyed cars, steel and concrete torn from various buildings, and above all, glass everywhere, the wailing alarms...Though mercifully far fewer in number than a few minutes ago, to lead an observer to that surmise...

And the to be expected piles of corpses and broken, torn bodies about...

Though perhaps, rather strange bodies for the overwhelming part...More animal than human in appearance...And odd animal at that...As if perhaps a great metropolitan zoo had been the epicenter of the disaster...

Yet the young-looking, battered man looked anything but a zoo keeper...

He paused...Listening and tensing at the sound around him...A howling vortex of cries, yells, alarms, explosions...Some uncomfortably near, and off, in the distance, the thin wailing of long-delayed rescue vehicles, fire, police... That his intense concentration on matters at hand until just moments ago had forced away from his consciousness, excepting those sounds...War cries, shrieks of rage, the sound of charging feet or hooves...Which had formed a part of those matters...

And now that he could hear the other sounds about him...He realized there were people in the area...Human as opposed to that which was strewn about him in the street...

And mostly, women, judging by the voices...

Women?...A jolt of pure, incandescent joy hit him...Even as did the pain of his many injuries which, like the extraneous sounds, he'd kept from his consciousness during the chaotic time which seemed now to be gradually ending...

As he collapsed, a momentarily concern for his new and fairly expensive jacket leading him to angle his fall away from a particularly bloody...Green blood at that...corpse, in favor of a hit to the hard street, the thought flamed in his mind...

She's here...She came...

She came...Darkness closing in as someone...Nope, something...Slammed down on him...Apparently anxious to make assurance double sure...

"Hey?..." a sharp voice called, shoving away the dark…He looked wearily up to see a short young blonde woman in dark glasses and leopard-spotted fake fur-trimmed leather coat…Spiky heels…

Buffy?...he whispered, staring…

"Get off…" she shoved the large demon crushing his chest back and skewed him on a long pole she snatched up from the rubble in the street…

"God, where'd they get that one…Whata clodhopper...Didn't even have the brains to get when the getting's good..." A harsh NYC accent…

Nope, not Buffy…he sighed…

But at least…Without doubt a Slayer…

"You William?..." she eyed him where he lay on the ground…Bleeding from about as many areas as he could ever remember having bled from…He started to nod…

Yeah…she smiled faintly…Pulling glasses to reveal a face that startled him in its essential, though not quite, Buffiness…Even something of her manner, he noted...

"I recognized you…Got her memories of ya, ya know?…Though you've looked bettah if I remember right…" a grin which he feebly returned…Yeah…He moved a bit as if to rise but she knelt by him…

"Don't strain yourself…Things are settling down…"

"Angel…The others…"

"The big guy's ok, just down the street with some of the other girls…So's the blue freak…er sorry…Your pal, I mean…And the black guy's on his way to LA General…One of the girls here's a nurse, she thinks he'll make it…"

"Great…" he tried to rise again…She holding him back…Whoa, boy… "Almost nobody left to fight William, don't go getting yourself dusted now…"

…When you got me to live for…she smiled at him…A slight blush visible now even with the poor lighting and what he could now see was rather heavy make-up…

"By the way…Stella Marcus…Vamp Slayer…" she offered…

A cry moving their way…He looked and tried to sit up as two new figures…Likewise short, likewise blonde…

And again something in their manner…That for the first seconds…He could've sworn…

Or perhaps so desperately wanted to believe…he ruefully noted to himself as the two women reached them, looking at him rather anxiously…

"William?...Are you ok?..." one asking… "Is he ok?..." she looked at Stella…Who frowned…

At the extra company as much as the question?...he wondered, looking at her annoyed face…

"Hey, he's William…He's fine…"

But if three Slayers were here…And hell, there had to be lots more from the sound, he looked back up the street…Stella had said more were with Angel or engaged with the enemy…

If they were here, she had to be here…

"Is Buffy…?"

One of the newly arrived pair eyed him, then her mates, carefully… "She wanted to come…She was busy…"

"But we all came…" the third hopefully noted…

I see…he sighed involuntarily…

"The three of us…" the third of the three women continued… "And all the others who could make it…"

"Thanks…We do appreciate it, ladies…"

"We especially wanted to be here…" the second of the three smiled at him… " 'Cause we're…"

"Girls…Willy here needs some rest and a trip to LA General…" Stella cut in sternly…

"The ones who look most like her…?" he finished for the second, smiling faintly at her…

She beamed, nodding…

"Course Stella here had to dye her hair…" Glare from Stella… "And I've been on a crash diet since I was activated…Marie Brezowski, hi…"

"William…Sorry we meet under such inelegant circumstances…"

"Walthrop…" the third woman noted…He blinked at her…

"How'd you know?…Even Buffy…"

"Looked your university record up on the Net…Had to do some searchin' to correlate your record with reports on Spike's activities at the time but it wasn't all that hard…"

Mr. Walthrop…she smiled at him…

"Thanks…Nice to finally be properly introduced…Angel?..." he looked to where Angel was slowly moving to them…

Staring himself at the three Buffy-imitations as he came up…Supported by a Slayer…

Thankfully red-haired and rather un-Buffy…Spooky to think they might all be trying to ape her…

"Any word on our man Gunn?..." "He's at LA General, Illyria's on her way…The docs there think he has a good chance…"

And with our demon Queen around they'll be motivated for sure…he grinned, again eyeing the three blondes…Hey, Angel...they chorused...Hmmn…

"Well, you seem to have found yourself a bumper crop of Buffies…" he noted to William…Yeah…

"Wish she'd and Giles'd let us know they were sending help..." Angel frowned a bit...

"She knew you'd be mad about that…" Marie eyed him… "She's sorry…But you did give her the amulet…And you were workin' for Wolfram-Hart…And you didn't tell her William was back…"

Yeah…Stella and the third blonde eyeing him…A bit grimly…

As was the red-head supporting him…

"The Brooding One did what he thought was right, girls...And he did ok by me, as you see..." Will tried to rise now...

"No, William!..." the third blonde Slayer went to him...Stella, still kneeling by him turning to hold him as well... "Will ya stay down, already, William?...C'mon, we're tryin' to help ya here..."

Yeah...Marie nodded...

"Better listen to your nursing team, Will..." Angel smiled... "The thing's just about over, anyway...The Partners threw in the towel when they couldn't quite finish us and the Slayer Corps came in on them..."

"The Prussians at Waterloo..." Will grinned... "Though I like your uniforms much better, ladies..."

Thanks...A beaming chorus...Angel's red-head joining in...

"So...Buf couldn't come...The ladies say she wasn't able to make it?..."

"Really?...Well, she probably still doesn't trust either of us…" Angel frowned…His Slayer at his side looking a bit puzzled...She what?...

"But..." the red-head, one Gretchen, began...Marie coming over to her...A quick whisper...Gretchen staring at her...Marie and from her spot next to Will, Stella, and the remaining blonde, Phoebe by name, all giving her a hard and solemn look...

"Uh...Right...She couldn't come...Real busy with the Immortal I think..."

"Yeah..." Stella nodded... "I think he was taking her to Switzerland or something..."

Oh...Will nodded...Oh...a hard groan...

"We betta get ya to the ambulances back there..." Stella waved to the other three... "They'll never get through the mess here to us...Get that door over here, Pheeb..." Phoebe dragged a large metal door from the street over... "C'mon, girls...Gently..." They clustered about William and lifted him onto the door... "Ok, lift..." All grabbing a corner...William groaning...

"It's alright. William...I'm here..." All four chorusing...

"Angel...?" Gretchen now holding a corner of the door looked to him...He waved a weary hand...

"I'll be fine, get him back...Will, good job, Partner..." he called... "I expect to see you in the office Monday at 9..."

Well, maybe Tuesday...he grinned back at them...

"Monday, but 11..." Will called, a bit feebly... "I keep my own hours, Broodo...Never chain me to any..." he passed out...

"Lets go, ladies..." Stella commanded... "Angel, we'll send some of the girls and the idiot peace makers back..."

"It'll give me time to come up with some explanation..." he grinned, waving to her... "Get him back...And thanks, ladies..."

Sighing as they hurried off...And more Slayers, and indeed, the first teams of police and fire ferried by chopper over the wreckage-clogged streets began to move in about him...

She didn't come with them?...Not even for William?...Let alone...I can't believe it...he shook his head...

Maybe we should've stayed and checked her out in Rome...

"Angel!..." a fierce cry as Nina burst from the wave of Slayers hurrying down the street...

Well...he noted, rather happily...At least it seems I really do have a girlfriend...

"I don't know if I should go along with this..." Gretchen sighed as the four Slayers hurried a carefully covered William down a side street...Away from the ambulances and rescue crews they'd claimed to be heading for...Towards a van in an alleyway just a few blocks further...

"I was with Buffy when she boarded the plane...Everyone there saw her get on...And you were sitting next to her..." she eyed Stella...Then Marie...

"You wanna your crack at William or no?..." Stella stared at her... "Buffy's had her chance...She didn't come for him when she knew he was back...And alls fair in love and war..."

Where William is concerned...she noted...

"Yeah..." Marie and Phoebe echoed her...

"But when he sees he's not..." "We're taking him to a private hospital...Just not in LA...We'll just tell him they was too overcrowded...We stay with him there and bring him to our place to rest up and we all got a few weeks to make our cases..."

Marie's the manager there so we even got the phones set up...Stella smiled at Marie...

"Will tries to call...If he can reach a phone even...We redirect it and fake an answer..."

"...'So sorry, monsieur...Ms. Summears, she is skiing with ze Immortal and does not wish to be...How you say?...Disturbed'..." Phoebe faked a French accent...

A few weeks maybe...Likely a few days...Before Buffy comes to kill us all...Gretchen pointed out...

"She won't kill us...Dismiss us from the Corps in disgrace, maybe..." Stella waved a hand... "But this is a chance with William we're talkin' about here...A chance to make him happy...You went along with us back with Angel so you're in now for the long haul..."

Like it or no...

"Can I get a wig and some new clothes?..." "Sure...Plenty of stores near where we're taking him in San Francisco..."

And I get my fair crack at him?...To see if he'd go for me?...Gretchen eyed Stella who nodded...

"Geesh...Good thing you didn't tell more of the girls...There'd be thousands lining up..." the redhead noted...

Well, hey...It's William...Stella beamed at the unconscious William as the group turned the alleyway corner, their van waiting...

"But what about Buffy?..." Gretchen stared at the other three...Who looked at each other, Marie and Phoebe a bit sheepish...

"She's fine...Oughta be set for oh, another coupla hours at least..." Stella grinned... "Thanks to me gettin' that transfer last month to baggage at LA International...Just before I went back to England for Mr. Giles' big briefing on the Angel sit...Nobody checks that closet in baggage storage but the manager...Me..."

"And she'll hafta get out of the chains and handcuffs and find her way to a phone...Another half-hour at least...Plenty of time for us to get Will away..."

The real job was getting her to take that cargo plane instead of waitin' for a passenger jet...Phoebe noted...We never coulda got her alone and drugged her on a passenger plane...

"She oughta be proud of us...In a way..." Marie suggested... "It was her training in England that made it all possible..."

#99's a bit too long for here, it's down as a separate tale... Immortal Beloved XCIX

Hope you enjoy Dru and biplane as much as I did writing it...

#100? Well...I wanna tweak it a bit and it's a long one...

"Immortal Beloved..." CI...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

I've skipped ahead of 99 and 100 as they're longer ones...

LA...The early morning of the battle with the Senior Partners...

A tall, weary-looking figure looked out over the vast field of the slain...Fires breaking out everywhere, creatures of all shapes and sizes running about...In many cases groaning and screaming for help for their hideous wounds...Or silent...

"But...If he's even still alive out there..." the tall figure turned back to stare at the slight blonde woman in front of him...Then at the sheet of what he'd just written at her order...

"Just shut-up and read it back to me..." she frowned...

Hmmn...Ummn...(Wish I had my glasses...)

Play.

"William,

(La Vie en Rose-English)

Hold me close...and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose...

When you kiss me, Heaven sighs

And though I close my eyes

I see la vie en rose...

When you press me to your heart

I'm in a world apart

A world where roses bloom...

And when you speak...Angels sing from above

Every day words...Seem to turn into love songs...

Give your heart and soul to me

And life will always be

La vie en rose...

I thought that love was just a word

They sang about in songs I heard

It took your kisses...to reveal

That I was wrong, and love is real...

Hold me close and hold me fast

The magic spell you cast

This is la vie en rose...

When you kiss me, Heaven sighs

And though I close my eyes

I see la vie en rose...

When you press me to your heart

I'm in a world apart

A world where roses bloom

And when you speak

Angels sing from above

Every day words

Seem to turn into love songs...

Give your heart and soul to me

And life will always be

La vie en rose..."

"Ok...Fine..." she eyed the tall..Demon... "When you find him, summon me first and I'll try to do it, but if you can't reach me...See that he gets it, Ashes or Undead...Read it to him...Whatever it takes..." she glared at him... "That soul of his will be hanging on...He'll hear..."

An explosion rocked the street...Gas mains going off, the demon noted...

"Ok, go...And make sure you stress the part about my thinking love was just a word till..."

"Ma'am...?"

"What?..." she snapped... "If you're thinking of betraying me to the Partners, just look around at your dead ex-comrades here and remember I still have a little power..." she faded a moment and reappeared... "Left..."

"No, no...I mean...It's beautiful...But I really don't think..." the demon sighed... "Even with you coming in on his side after things were going the Partners' way and all here...And him and his pals gettin' no help from his Slayer and all..."

"He might..." the First looked at her minion with a rather wistful, even pleading look... "I never told him I'd come to love him, at the very end...And I did just use what little energy I could summon to try and save him...If I can make him believe I've changed...Heck, he did, didn't he?..."

Oh, please...Please...she did not say, simply looking up at him...

"I'll try to find him..." Clem nodded kindly...Turning to head out...

"And remember I mean the kiss was metaphorical!..." she called... "Though he did try once..." she said, almost to herself...

Once, in the basement when he thought I was her, taking care of him...

"And canon, sir? Care you nothing for Canon?"

"My Canon's ropes are cut and it's rolling about the gundeck. But you can always jump ship to the good ship Whedonverse, mate."

"Immortal Beloved..." CII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...

C'mon, there had to be a "Star Wars" one...(as noted before 99 and 100 are longer and in progress..)

LA...The very early morning following the long, horrible night of the battle with the Senior Partners...

"You're a fool, girl..." William frowned at the glaring young blonde woman before him...He shook his head, staring round the battlefield...Slaughterhouse more like it...

The gore of countless demons, natch...But more than that...Enough of a ocean of human blood...Supercharged human blood...To make a vamp a bit crazy with feeding frenzy even with the soul...

He struggled to contain himself as he turned back to stare at his long-awaited Buffy...

But not the Buffy his demon and his soul given up existence for...

No, human as she still was...This was no longer Buffy Summers...

"This was all for you, William..." she said coldly... "The Immortal swore he and the Partners could arrange your resurrection and keep you safe for me if I joined them, secretly..."

"You've betrayed all these women, girls...Buffy?..."

"I betrayed the Partners, too..." she noted... "Exceptin' the Immortal...For now...Heck we slaughtered their army too and the world's still got one Slayer...The odds are still even..."

He looked at the raging yellow eyes... "Do you have any idea of the deal you've made?...What you've lost...?"

"It was all for you..." she repeated coldly... "You didn't believe me...And I don't blame you...I did nothing for you before..."

But now...she smiled, the eyes returning to normal... "Now at last, I've put my soul on the line..."

"Girl...Not even you can make a Faustian bargain like that and survive intact...Buffy, if you wanted to prove you loved you coulda just come when I materialized..."

Leading your girls to be slaughtered?...Not really necessary...

"The Immortal told me it was the only way to protect you...Besides, the world's safer with one Slayer...A lot of them couldn't really handle the power...A few'd already turned evil and had to be dealt with..."

"And you can?..." he eyed her, the eyes yellow once more...

"I have for ten years...What, you think Evil can ever get a hold on me?..."

"You just killed Angel and Giles for the Senior Partners, Buffy...After lying to them and your friends all year...I'd say that was pretty Evil, with capital E..."

"Eh, Angel took the deal with Wolfram-Hart...And Giles tried to kill you, still thought it was a good idea to leave you to be destroyed, probably woulda done it himself..." she waved an annoyed hand...Geesh, I do all this for him and he carries on like this?...

"We can go now...We just have to destroy the Immortal to finish the job and you'll be safe...My love..." she moved to take his hand...

He pulled back, she, startled, staring at him...William?...

"The Buffy I loved is dead..." he told her quietly... "I'm not going anywhere with you..."

"William?..." a battered Illyria suddenly appeared, stumbling up the rubble-filled boulevard...

Buffy looking at her, then at William, eyes yellow with rage...

You...she eyed Buffy... "You killed Angel...Your own Slayers...I saw you..."

"Your little demon girlfriend made it, eh?..." Buffy rounded on William... "You told me she'd been killed!..."

"I only wish I could've done the same for Angel..." he noted quietly...

Liar!...she shrieked, staking him...

Oops...she eyed the ashes, eyes back to normal...

Ummn...William?...

Ummn?...Honey?...she addressed the air... "I promise as soon I kill the Immortal I'll make Willow bring ya back...I swear...Oh, Will...Ya gotta believe...Hey!..."

Illyria slammed a fist down hard on her back...She fell forward but caught herself...

"So...The bitch who got my William to betray me wants a piecea me, huh?.." she turned to face her enemy...

"More than a piece, Ms. Summers...And you're the one who did the betraying from what I can see...Say...I'd watch that open gas line behind us, Slayer...It could blow any moment..."

"I'm gonna teach you what means to try and take the Slayer's guy, you blue bitch!..." Buffy slashed at her...

I told her to watch the gas line...Illyria thought as she stumbled through the shattered streets seeking help...Trying to note any surviving Slayers or humans...

"Well..." Buffy lay on her hospital bed...The Hospital Immortale in Geneva... "How bad..." her voice a harsh whisper trailed off...

"My dear..." the Immortal sighed, benevolently... "We were lucky to save your life and limbs...I'm afraid reconstructive surgery can not help much here..."

Shit...she eyed the hideously disfigured face in the mirror...Breathing tube sticking out of her neck...

"Where's William?...Is he ok?..."

"My dear..." Another benevolent sigh...

"I'm afraid you had another one of your little fits of rage on encountering him..."

Aw...Crap...

"Immortal Beloved..." CIII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I'm lying...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

LA...

The roped-off area outside the largest and most luxurious hotel in town...Site of the greatest party of the 21st century to date...The celebration held to inaugurate the new firm established on the ruins of the late Wolfram-Hart, Inc...Wiped out a few short weeks before along with its board of directors by a devastating, if mysteriously localized earthquake, followed by a series of scandals abroad during which US CEO Liam Angel had exposed and turned over to international justice a number of global execs of the firm who'd been committing acts both criminal and so unsavory as not fit to be printed in most family newspapers...

In which area, among a crowd of eager reporters, celebrity hounds, and those irresistibly drawn to such events, a couple waited...The young blonde woman elegant in gown and jewels, the man, dressed in equally stunning attire, so handsome in appearance as to have attracted a large segment of the crowd, sure he must be somebody...A few recognizing the famed Immortal from his book covers...

A large and hulking bouncer emerged from the hotel entrance and came to them...

"I'm sorry...This is a private party, miss...Sir..." the bouncer handed a card back to the Immortal, who gave a sour look... "Invitation only..."

"Just a sec...I'll handle this..." Buffy patted His currently somewhat-less-than-Benevolence's arm...

"Just tell William...Buffy is here..." she beamed at the bouncer...

"William?..." he stared...

"William the Bloody?...Your boss...Well, assistant boss, I suppose...If he's not available, tell Angel...Ummn..." she paused, thinking... "Well, forget Angel...He might be a little pissed yet...Just tell William..."

"Ma'am?..." the bouncer waved a hand... "I need more of a name..."

The Immortal frowned a bit at her...Said she'd get us into this thing, no problem...

Ummn...she blinked... "Never asked him, really..." she hesitated... "But you must know William, Angel's partner...?"

Oh...The thought suddenly struck her...

"Unless...He's dead...er...? Maybe he was killed in the big fight?..." she looked a bit nervously at the guard...

"Wait?...Do you mean Mr. Angel's partner, Mr. Walthrop?..."

"Walthrop?...Ummn...Maybe...Uh..."

"William Soames Walthrop?..."

"Uh, yeah..." she nodded brightly..."Tell him, 'Buffy...His Buffy is here to see him'...That'll do it..." she smiled...

Hmmn...The bouncer sighed, but waved in another guard and went off to a slightly less noisy spot, pulling cell phone...

"Don't worry...We'll be in in a sec..." she hissed to the Immortal...Still clearly put out at his card's rejection...

No one fails to let His Benevolence in...Anywhere...Hell, the Pope comes to the door himself to let him in...

The bouncer spoke a bit on the phone, folded it away, and returned...

"I'm sorry...There's no 'Buffy' on the list...And Mr. Walthrop is not available..."

Uh...?

"He did say however to say the following..." the bouncer continued...

" 'Ms. Summers...The events of our past encounters have not been such that I should wish to renew our acquaintance...Best of luck, William Soames Walthrop'..."

"Wait...That was what he said...?"

Hmmn...His Benevolence coolly eyed the young woman who failed him...After insisting they come and that they'd have no problem gaining admission to the party of the century...

Well, she was only one of 23,889 Slayers...And, when one came right down to it, for all her battle prowess, not exactly the sort of sophisticated female he preferred to have about him...

One can only discuss 80's to 90's TV shows and the trashier films so many times before wishing...Desperately...To move on to more intellectual subjects...

Now that wiccan goddess, Ms. Rosenberg...There was a woman with a trace of education and an intellect...

"Yes, ma'am...Mr. Angel did add something but Mr. Walthrop felt it was not entirely appropriate for me to repeat it...Good night, ma'am...Sir..." He turned on his heel and went back to the entrance...

Uh...

The crowd now losing a good deal of its interest in the couple, much to His Benevolence's chagrin...

Not to mention likely to harm book sales...

"I think...My dear...We should consider returning to our hotel..." he noted coldly...

"It's gotta be Angel...He's all upset over Giles' order not to have contact with him...The not trusting him anymore thing...Will is just goin' along...He'll be out here to see us in just a mo, don't worry..." she insisted...

Yes...Certainly...A cool frown..."But I think we'd do well to await his invitation back at our hotel...Dear..."

"I mean, sure...He might be a little put out that I didn't come to check on him or help him out in the Big One...But I know my Will...He'll be here...Any minute...You go back if you want...I'll call you..."

"No, no...Dear..." His Benevolence smiled thinly... "I will call you..." He turned and headed for his waiting limo...

"Have my flight home prepped for immediate take-off and Ms. Summers' bags moved to the economy suite..." he hissed to his chauffeur...

"Looks like rain, sir..." the chauffeur noted as he pulled out...Buffy standing in the crowd, trying to work her way back to the hotel entrance...

Several hours later...

"She still out there?..." William, somewhat uncomfortably decked out in formal suit sighed to Angel...Equally uncomfortable in his getup...As they strolled about the grand reception hall...Nina in gown on Angel's arm frowning a bit... "Will?...Didn't you tell have someone tell her you didn't want to see her?..."

"Hours ago..." he shrugged...

"Well, you better go and see her...Poor thing must be soaked by now..." she looked out at the heavy rain rattling against the large sheets of glass...

"Still..." she frowned at the rain a bit...Memories of the bitter battle crowding in...Particularly Angel's severe wounds...

"She didn't show when you needed her, didn't even come to the hospital after Angel'd put in that call to Giles and to Rome...I guess I'd leave it your call..."

"All I can say is...She'd better have been possessed by the First or under the Immortal's mind control..." Angel glared...

Though of course...He hastily added...As Nina frowned at him... "I'm completely over her myself...I just don't like the way she let Will down..."

"I'll go..." Will sighed...

Hmmn...He stared out into the rain, standing near the grand front door of the hotel...Considering...

The faint opening bars of "New York, New York..." came to him...He looked up to see on a TV monitor where Liza Minnelli had just halted on her way to see her errant ex-husband, played so well by Robert DeNiro...

Hmmn...

"Is that blonde young lady still...?"

"Yep..." the same bouncer, on duty at the door nodded...Pointing out to where a bedraggled Buffy stood in the rain...

"Here..." Will handed his overcoat to the same bouncer... "Give this to her and put her in a cab to her hotel...Tell her I'm sorry but I stand by what I said before..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CIV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not

Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely,

positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I'm lying...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I

like it, it's ok..."

"Ok...?"

"No…Problem." A confident beam…

"You sure?...Have you really done this…?" "Sure I'm sure…Once, about a century ago…You ready?..."

Uh…

"Slayer, come on…We've handled much worse than this…Singley and together…Just a few months ago in LA as a matter of fact…"

When you came to tell me something important…And two thousand demons couldn't block your way…he smiled at her…She smiling back…

"Hey!..." Dawn's voice calling, a mocking tone… "You guys going chicken on us or no?..."

"We're just taking our fair time, Nibs!...Like the professionals we are!…" a firm shout back…

"Yeah, right…Chicken…Bok-bok-bok!..."

"Girl, we been challenged…It's now or never…"

Right, right… A quick check of the vital equipment…"Ok…I'm ready…"

"Ahem…Ladies….Mr. Wells…"

Said Mr. Wells giving his way-more-manly-now bow in response…

"…And whatever you bloody well are, Harris…We who are about to die…"

A loud raspberry from the said Harris, standing with Andrew among a reasonably large group of assorted females, among them Dawn, Willow, and Kennedy…Most rather heavily bundled up in coats, hats, and gloves…

Ow!... "Love?..."

"Will you shut up?...I'm nervous enough...And where's your goggles?...Spell or no, your eyes are still gonna be sensitive to the light, Willow told you that…Especially here against the ice…"

"Got em…Lets go, girl…Our greatest challenge yet awaits us…"

Buffy gave her slight, blonde companion in arm a slightly annoyed look… "Thought our mutual returns from the dead were that…You know you're just making me more nervous…Maybe we oughta forget the whole thing…"

And find some nice quiet corner in the lodge…Alone…With cocoa…

Alone…she repeated…Giving a somewhat frowning glance out to the group watching…

"We're gonna look like idiots…" she noted, glancing down at the skates strapped to their respective feet…

"Nonsense…And vacationing in New England…With our little family there…Was your idea…You can do this, girl…Child's play…One quick step out to get started and…" he gave her a hard shove onto the ice…Ahhhhhh!...And followed…

Slam!...

Oooh…Xander looked away…Super beings or no, that's gotta hurt…

"I shoulda staked you, soul or no!..." a cry… "Hey, whhhyyy aaarrreee wwweeee still gooooinnn'?"

"Iiiiceee, ddddeeeeaaarest…Saaayy, watcchh the branccchhh…" Ow!... "We're slipppperyyyy…"

"Use the skates to brake!..." Kennedy, competent LI skater shouted…

"My boooottttoooommm's frrrreeezzing off!...Stttttoooppp usss, Wiiiiillll!..." OWW!...

"At your command…Ok, just a little trouble on take-off…We'll be taking on the Russian starring couple before you know it…Now lets just…One, two, three…Up!..."

OW!...

"You've put on a little weight, dear…" Ow!...

"Shut up!"

"All right, lets try that again…Together…One, three…Up!...There we…"

OOOWWW!..."

"Sorry…" "I'm gonna black and blue everywhere…"

Which is in part the idea...a whisper from her companion…

Hmmn?...

"Just play all bruises to the hilt and we can spend the next two days in our room tending our severe injuries together…Alone…" he noted…

Hmmn…A beam…

"Are you guys ok?..." Kennedy whizzed rather elegantly up to them…Swirling round them in a delicate glide…To a degree of applause from the admiring group now milling on the pond bank…

"Sure…" a rather peeved tone… "We can do this…C'mon, Will, lets try it again…"

"This was really too big a pond for them to begin with…" Willow hissed to Dawn…

"Anything smaller and they'd've gone flying into the woods…" Dawn replied…

"Immortal Beloved..." CV...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The standard IB format, one of (105) different versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series

Rome...

A classic film on TV...Four intently watching...At least one far more involved in the old movie than she'd ever expected to be...

"My love...No man has ever suffered as you have for me..." the reincarnated Princess Anckesen-Amon tells Boris Karloff's resurrected mummy, the former high priest Im-Ho-Tep, disguised as modern (1932) Egyptian historian Ardath Bey...

She having in a magical dream relived his horrible nightmare of being caught in her tomb 3500 years ago while trying to revive her with the sacred scroll of Life and Death and following hideous torture, being mummified alive and sealed in her tomb...

Fortunately some fool having forgotten and left the sacred scroll with him so as to allow his resurrection by a clumsy British archeologist ten years previous in 1922...

"The suffering is forgotten my love in the joy of our reunion...And in but a moment we shall be together for all time...There is but one thing left to be done, a brief sacrifice on your part..."

Ummn...Sacrifice?...The Princess in her living human body eyes him...He hastening to prepare the sacred implements...The infidels will be returning to the museum and they must act quickly to finish in time, he tells her...

"Finish...?" she stares at the rather sharp scalpel laid out with other rather gruesome tools...

"You must undergo but a moment of pain as I kill this body and revive you as I am, a mummy..."

What you say...? she stares at him... "Die and be raised up as a mummy?..."

"But..." Karloff blinks, shocked at her hesitation... "It is only a moment of pain, I can administer that which will ease even that...Surely for our deathless love you can endure the merest fraction of what I..."

"No, help!...Help!..."

"You bitch!..." Buffy screamed at the TV... "After all he's gone through for you!..." She ran out of the room, clearly in tears...

The visiting Xander eyed Dawn...Dawn, Xander...

Yes...Andrew nodded sagely from his chair...It appears my little test has worked...And with events in LA moving toward what seems to be a final consummation.

Perhaps...He thoughtfully sucks at his never-lit-or-ever-to-be-lit pipe...

It is time...

"Immortal Beloved...CVI..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Ok, so no one asked and the Missus begged me not to...Some things just will out...And like my devil in "The Devil and Dr. Walthrop" I am reputed to play with the truth sometimes...However if I am lying about lying...

As always one of multiple (106) versions of an outcome to the events following Angel S5...

(Now, now...most of them have been very nice to Buffy)

Rome...Buffy and Dawn's apartment...

Ummn...Buffy stared at the glaring trio in front of her...Who, having destroyed the main force of the Partners in LA by forcing them out, were now in Italy to finish the mopping up...

And were now seeking info on the final surviving member of Evil, Inc from his current girlfriend...

"Look, guys...I can see where you might be a little peeved with me...Did I mention how glad I was to see you alive, Will?..." Buffy beamed nervously...

"We just told you the Immortal was one of the Senior Partners of the Wolf, Ram, and Hart, Buffy...Doesn't that bother you?..." William stared at her...

"Well, sure..." she shrugged... "But he wasn't with them at the end..." she wagged a finger at him...

"Only because he was clever enough to straddle the fence and keep a foot in both camps...Which, no doubt, explains why he can call himself "The Immortal"..."

"All right, all right...Maybe I did let myself get swept...But that doesn't mean..."

"Where is he...?" Angel demanded...

"I haven't seen him in a while...Did you try his office in town?..."

"Buffy...Two of my best friends are dead because of him and his friends...Where...Is...He?..." Angel repeated...

"Geesh...Angel?...You think I'm covering for him?...Will, are you gonna let him talk to me like..."

"No one in our organization trusts you..." Illyria said firmly...

Buffy blinked...Who the hell...?

"Well..." Will frowned... "I wouldn't have put it that way..."

"I would..." Angel said...Glaring at Buffy... "For God's sake you people sure were quick enough to drop my rating to pond scum without even asking me why I'd cut my deal with Wolfram-Hart..."

"That...Was Giles' decision...Not mine..." Buffy nervously insisted...

"I'm sure he's glad you now toe his line..." Angel frowned...

Will?...She looked at him...

"What?..." he eyed her... "We want the Immortal, Buffy...Considering he's the only other vamp with some kind of soul, however filth-ridden and merged with his demon, he's a murderous scum bag worse than Angelus or Spike put together and a coward hiding behind your pants to boot..."

"Buffy..." Angel cut in... "You can either hand him over...And we'll see he gets a fair trial...Or..."

"Or what...?...Lets remember who we're talkin' to fellas...I'm Slayer Counselor General...And a world-saving one at that..."

"Who sided voluntarily with a Prince of Darkness..." Illyria noted...

"I didn't know he was still thinkin' of rulin' the world...I was...Tryin' to help him..."

Cause he reminded me of you, Will...she beamed...Lord, he rolled his eyes...

By the way, who's the blue freak?...she hissed to him... "You haven't gone and got yourself another girl on me?..."

"Helping him?...Really..." Angel smiled coolly... "Then you can do him a real kindness and let him atone for his sins...In a court of law..."

"Which by the way brings us to our other matter..." he noted... "Your Slayers killed five vamps in our people's care...And wounded three of our folks when they tried...Peacefully...To stop them...And unless you agree to our demands for future restraint on your organization's part, ours is gonna haul your asses into court..."

Oh...Buffy waved a hand... "Vamps...We dust them, that's what we do...This crazy idea you guys got of tryin' to save them is just..."

The boys eyed her coldly...

"Giles says..." she squeaked a bit...

"We don't give a damn what Giles has to say...And you of all people know that vamps can be helped, under the right conditions..." Will frowned... "And we intend to try..."

"Aw..." she frowned... "That's such a silly waste of...Ummn..."

"Yeah, God knows you sure never wasted time trying to help me..." Will nodded...

"Look..." Angel grimly cut in... "We've told you how it's gonna be...Your people can do all the defending against attackers they like but from now on keep your people in defensive mode until ours have had a decent chance to try and help these folks and everything's hunky-dory...You cross us up and we'll have you before the International Court of Justice, the UN, and the world press as vigilante murderers...Of folks a lot of whom still have living, caring relatives..."

"But..."

"I know it's difficult to stay that slaying arm, girl..." Will eyed her... "Lots harder than that good ole kill, kill, kill...But no one's asking you people to take a risk..."

"But Will..."

"But that's how it crumbles, Slayer..."

"But...What about us?..."

"What 'us'?..." he stared at her startled face... "You couldn't even bother yourself to send a card or call after Andy went back and told you...And I know he did, girl...About your psycho Slayer cutting my hands off when I tried to help her...Let alone try and reach my soul via Willow to see I was alright and safe in Heaven when you thought I was neatly dead and outta the way..."

"But...I told you...Back at Sunnydale..."

"Tell it to His Benevolence...He'll need it when we find him..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CVII...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Not a continuous series, though some are multi-part...

Archived at the "Normal" Buffyverse page of the BR verse, .

Rome...One day before the great battle at LA...

"Well, then he went off without a word to us...And in September, I found him...With soul...Insane in the high school basement, near the Hellmouth Seal..."

"So then...What he did say?..." an eager look... "I mean, can you remember his first words to you when you saw him there, his soul recovered for love of you, but he himself insane?..."

"He was insane...He babbled a lot...But he did have a soul, I could sense it right off..."

"Yes, but what did he say?...Then and in that church you mentioned, later on..." pen in hand, waiting over paper...

A slight frown from the narrator, a slight young blonde woman, seated on the couch of her apartment...

"You know..." she eyed her interrogator and dinner guest, the famed Immortal...

"You sure like to ask a lot of questions about William...Not to mention all the notes..." she eyed the three notepads he'd filled just this evening...

"I am a writer, Buffy...With my latest, the fourth volume of my autobiography, coming soon to a bookstore near you..." a Benevolent beam... "And this story, a vampire winning back his soul for love...I mean you must see it's a tale that deserves to heard by the world...For your William's sake, of course..."

"Yeah...'Course you know I got a few great tales in my lil' exploits...Like this time when..." she began...

"Indeed, indeed...And I enjoy hearing them, my dear, truly...All of them...But to be honest...Those are, after all, merely tales of your doing your job...And they pretty much all end the same way...Bad fellow goes poof, world saved..."

She blinked...

"But this tale...William the romantic poet, trapped for a century by a cruel rejection and headstrong act, but saved by...Well, freeing himself, you not really providing much support...Love..."

Huh?... "Now, wait a min..."

"It's a guaranteed sure-fire hit, Buffy...I mean of course in terms of allowing your noble friend's tale to be told as a tribute to his spirit..."

As a poet and writer, I'm sure he'd appreciate this form of tribute...The Immortal beamed again...

"Of course, if you had played a more active role in helping him overcome his tragic fate..." a slight sigh...

"Active role?..."

"I mean, had you shown any concern for his safe return to Humanity...Even as a mere friend let alone a lover..."

"But I told him I loved him..." she noted, a little wanly, blinking...

"Yesss...You did..." he seemed to consider a moment... "Nah, doesn't work...I mean you ran off and left him to die and never even tried so much as a seance to see if he was all right in Heaven...I mean, Buffy, come on...The boy was ready to die for you even soulless..."

I think we best leave the "I love you" out...he nodded thoughtfully...

"But..." she stared... "I really...Sorta..."

"Unless..." he gave her a sidelong glance...

You might...Possibly...I mean in the interests of seeing William's story properly told before the world...In the way I am absolutely sure you would have gone had the situation not been quite so...Hectic...That day...

"Consider a...Very slight..." he held thumb and forefinger a quarter inch apart... "Rewrite?..."

Ummn?...

"Rewrite?..." she stared...

"Just something to make it clear how deeply you did love the poor boy...I mean, dear girl...This is your story too...Your incredible romance that reclaimed a lost soul...If he is the romantic hero, your very own Michael Furey...You...My dear Buffy...Are certainly the romantic heroine..."

Hmmn...?

"Who's..."

"Character in Joyce...James, not your mother...Anyway, Buffy...I want to tell the real story buried within these factual events...The thoughts, feelings...The passions...You two felt before poor William's tragic end...An end you, with all your incredible abilities, could not save him from..."

"Uh...Oh...Oh..." Sounds of sobbing...

"Here, Andrew..." His Benevolence passed over some paper napkins from the table...Paper, he sighed, repressing the urge to roll eyes...Thank God I should have her signature on the contract's bottom line in the next ten...

Another night watching reality TV and eating whatever that horrifying concoction was with Ms. All-American Girl and I think I'd finally see a sunrise...

The things I do for great literature...And to allow myself what is necessary to maintain the image of "The Immortal"...Two castles, three chateaus, all fully staffed, naturally...And three, (thank God, mortal) ex-wives...

"Ooh...Ah...Buf...Buffy..." Andy stumbled over from his chair, wearing bathrobe, hair in towel...There being no Slayers-in-training to take round the sights this evening...

"It's ok Andy..." she patted him... "I know how much you miss him..."

"Bu...Bu...But...He..."

Hmmn...His Benevolence eyed Andy...Not quite the right image for the gallant friend, touched by Evil himself, who comes to support the romantic duo in their quest...I think perhaps I'll model him on Angel...Physically at least...

Hee...And perhaps that tiresome brooding fellow on this one...Comic relief in the former lover and now, by most accounts, rather dull CEO who didn't quite...Shall we say?...Hack it in the sack...

Anyway she says she's not even sure if it was him or Angelus that one time...

"Andy..." Buffy pulled up his chin... "You gotta get over this...Hey, I've moved on, you can too..."

"Bu...But he's not dead...I mean he's dead but not not Undead..." Andrew blurted...

And I am so dead when Chairman Giles hears I talked...

"He what?..." Buffy stared... "William's...?"

"In LA...With Angel...Well, they're not together or anything...So far as I know..." Andrew gave a thoughtful look...

"But he's working with Angel since he materialized in the old Wolfram-Hart office...Something to do with that amulet and some enemy of Angel's corporealizing him so he'd challenge Angel..." a hand wave...

"Alive?...I mean..." she gave a quick shrug...Then a frown quickly sliding to glare...

"And why the hell didn't he come to see me right away?..."

"He was trapped by the fiendish power of the loathsome Partners..." His Benevolence cut in... "Until that fateful day when his beloved, learning of his return from beyond beyond the grave..."

Hmmn?...she stared...

Hmmn...That would be kinda romantic...she thought...And Giles did say Angel might be up to something when he asked me to agree to cut him outta our loop till we knew what was up in LA...

"I think he was afraid to come though he did come by one time...Uh..." Andrew paused...

He what?...

"See Chairman Giles thought...When I told him after I got back from LA when that poor Dana girl cut Will's hands off when he tried to help her..."

Cut?...Buffy stared...

He tried to save a demented Slayer for his own love's sake and suffered a horrible fate...Oh, Lord for this bonanza thou is square with me for my own unjust condemnation...The Immortal gazed Heavenward...

"It might be a good idea for you to go, Buffy..." Andy noted... "I think Angel's moving against the Partners...All our LA surveillance reports in the Council point to him as the one who destroyed the Black Thorn Circle...And they probably will not be giving him a golden parachute when they hear..."

"The heroine arrives in the nick of time to save her beloved and her former (yes, definitely cast someone like dear Andrew...Perhaps that young actor I saw, Tom What's-his-name...Ah, right, Lenk, as Angel, he thought) lover...It's sheer poetry, Buffy..."

And a potential gold mine for a certain Benevolent...And not-at-all desiring to screw up a gold...er, great romance...Immortal...

"Naturally I understand...These times we've shared have been wonderful and I shall always treasure...(Here's your coat, dear)...Your friendship..." he pointed her towards the door...

"But you must...(Don't forget Mr. Pointy, sweetheart)..." No, indeed...She...And he...Must live...

For the sequel...

Hell, I smell a whole series here...Cha-ching, cha-ching...

"...go to him whom you truly love...And show him the true depth..."

Try to look the part, dear...At least till I cast Nicole Kidman...he sighed at her somewhat puzzled face...Andrew grabbing his coat as well...

"...of your love for him..."

Yeah?...Buffy stared...

"Absolutely..." His Benevolence patted her on the shoulder... "Now go, Slayer...The love of your life and his existence awaits you both..."

Yeah...she nodded vaguely...Ummn...

"Ready, Slayer..." Andrew struck a dutiful pose...Oh...He grabbed the towel from his head and threw it into his bedroom...

Hmmn...His Benevolence thought...

So Angel, towel on his head, emerges...

"Immortal Beloved..." CVIII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The standard IB format, one of (108) different versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series

Looking round the room of exhausted but triumphant fri...Well, ok with Charlie Gunn in the hospital and it being a weary Illyria staring back at him, despite the Winifred look she'd donned...And not being quite ready to accept the word with William...Acquaintances and colleagues...Thank God at least Connor and Nina are here...A beaming Angel offered a toast in the last unbroken bottle of champagne Connor had flitched from the crumbling Wolfram-Hart building as the fight was winding down...

Ah, what the hell...After all we've been through?...

"To my friends...The greatest set of evil fighters this world at least has ever seen!...And our helpers from so far away..." he turned to the figures, rather pale and white...Ghostly, one might say...Who were rather filling the reception room he'd rented with the remains of his Wolfram-Hart expense account...

"Could you move, mate?...Hafta see our fearless leader pontificate..." William politely asked of a tall, vaporous fellow...Who kindly stepped aside...

Ghost Anya, Ghost Joyce, Ghosts of countless victims of Evil...Who'd been released and enabled to assist in fighting their past tormentors when the Partners had opened their other-world portal...

Who'd delighted in helping to make possible Good's greatest victory...The Partners' army retreating in panic at their entrance...

And now, before returning to their various Heaven abodes, were rather pleased to be attending what promised to be a truly great bash...

"...who made victory possible!...To all of us!..." he tossed off his share of the bottle, passing it on to Illyria...All...Ghosts bearing other world glasses of their own...Doing likewise...Illyria coughing a bit at the taste...Hmmn...Rather like mead only less sweet she noted to Connor... "Now, lets..."

A flash of light in the center of the room...Willow and a Buffy in Italian fashion dress, rather heavily...Somewhat over-heavily...Made up...Materializing...

They looked round at the startled crowd...Hey, Willow sighed to Angel...Smiling a bit at William...

"Oh...Geesh..." Buffy looked round... "Are we too late?..."

Willow rolling her eyes...

"We're fine...What do you want, Slayer?..." William asked, stepping forward from the crowd...

Is that?...Illyria hissed to Connor...

"Buffy Summers?...I think so..." he nodded...

Angel coming over now...Eyeing Buffy...

Geesh, he looked at Willow...What's with the makeup?...Who shrugged...

"William...Oh, Will...I'm so sorry we took so long..." Buffy took his hand...

Uh-huh...he nodded...

Mom?...She looked over to ghostly Joyce who was frowning at her...

"Nice of you to come to our party, Buffy...Willow..." Angel gave a cool smile...Nina now at his side, having rushed...Girl's faster than teleportation, Willow noted to herself...From where she'd caught sight of the infamous Ms. S...

"Hope we're back in your good graces now that I've proven I'm not the stooge of Evil..."

"William?...What's the matter?..." Buffy was a bit put out by his lack of response...

Where the guy who'd die for me in a hot minute...?

Especially when I need him...Like now...

"Angel, Giles made that decision...You know how he feels about you..." Willow sighed... "And we were a little thrown by your taking that spot with W-H...Especially after I did a spell check and found it was voluntary but had to do with your boy...Hey, Connor..." she beamed at him as he came up...

"Yeah, Angel...I just followed my Chairman's lead..." Buffy waved at him... "And we came, right?..."

Soon as we heard...she turned, a bit anxiously back to Will...

"Is she turned, possessed...?" Angel hissed to Willow... "What is with that outfit and makeup?..."

"The Immortal got her into Italian fashion...We did what we could to save her..." Willow hissed back...

At least she hasn't had the boobs job he wanted her to get...Yet...she noted...

Angel having a memory flash of the Italian director of Wolfram-Hart...

"What do I say, Will?...It's so great to see you..." Buffy tried again...

"Yeah, lovely...What do you want, girl?..." he frowned...

"You might tell me how good it is to see me..." she blinked at him with dark circled, heavily mascara'd eyes...

"Difficult with all that crap on your face...Have you been turned or something?..." he asked...

"Hey...This is a high quality Italian makeover..." she glared... "And do you know what it cost?..."

"Our lives possibly, and that of Charlie Gunn very likely, if that's what delayed you..." he eyed her...

Hey, Mom...she turned to beam at Joyce who gave her a stiff hug which passed through her...Still frowning, then a smile to William...

"I have to go...Buffy..." she motioned her over...Buffy blinking but following...To the nearest ladies room...

"You didn't come because of the battle, did you?..." Angel whispered to Willow whom he'd pulled over to the side...

No..Willow looked down... "If Giles or Buffy or that idiot Andrew had told me anything in time I woulda...You know that, Angel..." she sighed...

Real glad you guys came through intact, though...

"First, will you wipe that gunk off your face?...You look like a prostitute..." in the restroom Joyce hissed to Buffy...She staring at the white, ghostly figure...

"Mom...This is what they wear in..."

"I hope you haven't been letting Dawn dress like this..."

William and Connor watching the restroom doom from where they stood...

"So...That's Buffy Summers..." Connor nodded... "Interesting lady..."

"So...?" Angel eyed Willow...

"His Benevolence...Her new cutie..." she began, frowning over at the restroom...

I mighta guessed, Angel thought...

"A little better..." Joyce sighed at a Buffy who'd reluctantly wiped off a five hundred dollar makeup job...

"Now I've got to get back to Heaven soon...Tell me you're here to get William and that you and that gigilo from Italy are history...Make your dead mom happy..."

"Mom...His Benevolence is a wonderful guy..." Buffy frowned...

"He's not a gigilo...I can spot bad guys a mile..."

"Oh, please..." Joyce sighed... "So what are you really here for?...Buffy?..." she glared... "Don't treat your ex- like that..."

"I just wanted to make sure he was ok, Mom...And..." she hesitated...

"Don't make him die for you again, Buffy...He's a nice man and a fine soul...Besides...He's your...Shoot, out of time..." Joyce sighed...

My?...

"Mom?...What?...He's my what...?"

"Didn't you even look him up in the Council records...?" Joyce sighed... "Well, I've no time...Try and be nice to William, God knows he deserves it...Tell him I'm very fond of him...And will you change that dress?..." she frowned, fading out...

Mom?...

"Are you telling me that she actually has the nerve...When she knew he was alive since Andrew returned to England?...To come now and ask him to..." Angel fumed at Willow...

"I told her you'd be upset..." Willow sighed... "I didn't want to do this, Angel..."

"Will?...Mom had to go..." Buffy came to him... "But she wanted you to know she was very fond of you..."

"A good egg, your mom..." Will nodded... "I see she got you to get some of that crap off...You look almost alive..."

"Thanks..." she glared...

"But I'd get larger ones if you're going to continue wearing that dress..." he noted...

"You think so?...His Benevolence wants me to..." she asked hastily...

"I hope all four of you will be very happy..." he turned slightly...

"Will?..."

"Not that I'm interested, but what do you want, Ms. Summers?..." he turned back...

"I came to see you...Save you if you needed help..."

"Buffy...Two of your local Slayers are over there..." he pointed... "They came on their own to help and told me what I already knew...That you've known about me for months and Giles has been keeping steady tabs on Angel and his activities..."

"You're not here to save me...You frankly don't give a damn..." he eyed her...

"So...What...Do...You...Want...Miss..?"

"That's not true...You didn't come to Rome..." she tried...

"Would His Benevolence have welcomed me, too?...How is he by the way?..."

"Oh, great...Lotta cares, you know?...Been weighing him down, especially recently..."

"Sad...But I hear he's never put his ass on the line for Humanity or the world..."

"Well...Some of us have to keep intact to keep things running for all of us..." she noted...

"A philosophy I should try embracing..." he nodded...

"William, I'm sorry I didn't come sooner...Really...I was just so busy...And you didn't come to Rome, what was I supposed to think?..."

"When I materialized in Angel's office...I was sure...I knew...You and Willow had called me back...But...And then, when I sat in that hospital room a week, after Dana the Psychotic Slayer...How is she by the way?...Cut off my hands...I thought, she'll come...Andrew will tell her, no matter what I told him...And she'll come..."

But, you didn't...

"Will, I..."

"Then I was worried...As was Angel...About you and the Immortal..."

Ok, I was jealous too...But I was worried...

"And I went to Rome..."

Oh...she stared...

"Didn't Andrew tell you?...":

"Oh, that time..." she nodded...Beaming... "That was nice of you to check, Will..." A frown... "But why didn't you stay and say hi?..."

"I can't 'say hi' to you, girl..." he sighed... "If you don't understand why...There's no point in trying to explain..."

"You're sure...No spell, no mind control?..." Angel asked Willow...Who shook her head...

"Possession, maybe?...One of the Immortal's many girls?...Or boys?..." he tried...

"Will, I care...And I'm sorry if I hurt you...You know I did love you that year..."

"Please don't say that...Why do you modern people talk like that?...Say you liked me and we'll always be friends or some drivel like that?...Don't say that word unless you mean it..." he frowned...

"I did mean it...At the time..."

"Lady...Whatever you're here for...Whatever ridiculous knight's errand you want to set me on, forget it...Call in the stout...And I hear from Anya over there...Make sure you say hi before she has to go...He's getting quite so...Mr. Harris...Or better yet, your 20,000 Slayers...Or even the Italian police..."

"Will, the world's in danger...Ok, maybe not the whole world..." Buffy began...

"Whatever your friend over there wants, Angel's not going..." Nina told Willow firmly... "He's got a family to think of and plenty of world-saving to do right here...And I hope William remembers he has a son to think of..."

A what?...Willow blinked...

"See His Benevolence's firm in Asia stirred up a little trouble among some demon monks in Tibet...The company was just following Chinese government policy..." Buffy continued...

"I can't help you, Slayer..." he said firmly...

"I'd be going too, of course...Our lives on the line together again..." she smiled..."And nothing's settled between the Immortal and me, you know..."

"What, he has you pimping superheroes for him and hasn't offered a ring yet?...The cad..." William noted quietly...She staring...

"Sorry...Anyway, I have my little boy to think of now...I can't go throwing my existence away for no good reason..."

"But a major world leader...My current guy...Could die horribly...What little boy?..."

"I've adopted a kid some of the Black Thorn circle boys were going to sacrifice...His mom handed him over for cash and medical benefits and since I rescued him..."

"They're so cute together...You wouldn't believe what a terrific father William is...And a damned good mommie as well..." Nina beamed to a floored Willow...

"You have a kid..." Buffy stared...A vision clicking on...A dying brunette woman, stillborn baby in her lap...Screaming for...

Oh...

So that's why I was always screaming out his name when I woke up with Riley...

"Will, I really hoped we'd be together on this one...I'm honestly not sure about things..." she tried... "But if you've got responsibilities here, hey..."

Brief vision of the Immortal tortured to death by fiendish, pissed-off, demon monks...Enraged by his greedy sellout of democratic principles...

Well, if he really is "the Immortal" how bad could it be?...

"In fact, Will...We can screw it...I don't think we're needed that bad and he's got plenty of help...But look...Can't you get a few days?...Willow's got a daylight protection spell that I was gonna give you and Angel..."

"So we could go to Tibet faster..." he eyed her...

"Will, come on...I'm trying here..." she sighed... "Take a few days vacation...With me...And lets finally see where we stand..."

And bring along your boy...Does he look like you?...she grinned...

"Please...Well, I do think he's gonna be a blond..." Will noted...

"Speak to your boss there and get things settled, while I have Willow get me some Council records that I think I really need to look over..." she patted him...Say...

"You sure you really don't like the dress?..."

"Especially not around my son..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CIX...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (109!) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

This one's a single...IB99 and 100 are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

"I still can't believe it's you...And that you finally came.." a sigh...

"I would've come...The moment I could...I just didn't think you wanted me..."

A slight stare...

"I loved you...I told you that...God knows..."

"Seemed a little feeble, no offense, at the end of our relationship..."

"Hey?..."

"You were kinda focused on getting the job done...And when you didn't come...Or even try to reach me..."

"I didn't know you wanted..."

"After all we've been through?...And you sure didn't waste anytime finding...Someone..."

"It was nearly a year before I..."

"Oh?...Not what your good ole pal...The little...Told me when I came before..." A cold glare at the 'good ole pal' watching with the others from their seats in the hotel living room...

"You came here before?...When?...Why didn't you..."

"I came to check up on you...By then I'd figured you weren't interested but when I heard you were in danger...Well, maybe not really...But you coulda been...I came..."

And saw you seemed reasonably well- 'serviced' by your latest...

"What?...Why the hell didn't they...?" Glare at several seated...

"Only your little friend knew...And I said to say nothing about my coming...For once, a pledge of silence kept..."

"I'll strangle the life out of the little...Ummn...Well, you know what I mean..."

Somewhat panicky look on the part of the little...

"A little late now...We both seem to have moved on..."

"Yeah, I guess...Son of a bitch!...If you'd just've...What kind of faith in me was that?..."

"You seemed pretty content that day..."

"Well you sure haven't taken a vow of celibacy!..."

"How the hell would you know?..." Nervous glance at the seated group...Several giving 'not me' shrugs...

"Same way you did..." Hard stare...

Seated, a desperately casual Andrew eyes a nervous Harmony...Who returns the stare...

"Ok, I haven't been strictly celibate since you...But God...For a year..."

"A year?..."

"Almost a year...Until my latest...Practically...And considering where I was and all..."

"Really?..." Pleased look...

"Only with you...Nearly always..." Look down... "Ummn...I mean...When I..."

Distressed looks from the seated group as they catch on...

"Oh...Say, I think I got the telepathic vibes from you a few times when I was...I mean...When I..."

"Then ya should've picked up the phone!...For cryin' loud!...I think I could outdo your mattress...Ummn..." Stares from the seated others..."Say, folks?...Could we have a little privacy?...Angel, Giles?...Willow?...Illyria?..."

"Yeah, get out...Especially you..." Hard stare at Andrew...

"And you..." Narrow glare at restored-souled Harmony...

Grumbling, the group backed out of the hotel room... "Geesh..." Harmony hissed to Angel as they left... "It was my evil side that blabbed...What are they blaming me for...?" "I'm just amazed your demon kept mum all these months..." he replied...

"I mean it, Andrew..." Continued hard glare till Andrew finally leaves... "So much for them...Until your latest, eh?...Seems to me that's been going on a while..."

"What?...Who told you that?..."

"You weren't the only one who went traveling incognito this past year..."

"When?..."

"A while back...Same reason as you...I'd heard tell of some danger and wanted to check on things..."

"Really?..." Fond smile... "You stupid blonde moron!...You coulda let me know..."

"You could've let me know..."

"Right...Guess we'd didn't have a lot of faith in each other..."

"Yet oddly enough we spent much of the year waiting..."

"Us waiting...?" a grin... "When did we become the 'waiting' kind?..."

"Guess we got cautious...When we really stood on the brink at last..."

"I'd say, stupid...Even cowardly..." a wry smile... "Hope to hell our enemies never learn what a couple of fearful little turds we really are..."

"Or maybe...Considerate...Willing to let the other decide for once..."

"Maybe...Though I'd still say, stupid..."

"So...How's..."

"Ok...But not you..." Hard look... "You and...?"

"Ok...But not you...Oh...How the hell could you not think I wanted you?...How could you have come here and not...?"

"How could you not have believed in me?..."

"How could you have believed what that idiot...Say, what the heck was said?..."

"It's just...I knew it wasn't a lie...You'd...And I figured, if that's the way you wanted it...I guess I was being stupid...Quite a bit jealous...But you didn't come...Ever...Oh, darling...My heart was bleedin' for this past year..."

"We thought we were doing the right thing for each other...I'd say your 'Stupid' pretty much hit it on the head for both of us...And my heart was bleeding too..."

"So?...Then what the hell's..." Fierce tone...Hand on hand...Embrace... "We'll tell them...They'll have to understand..."

"Wouldn't be very nice to do that to them...They love us..."

"Then they'll be hurt some but happy for us...It's our right to be together..."

"You could do that?...Hasn't your latest made sacrifices for you?...God knows, my poor..."

Fierce glare...

"Yeah?...So where is...?"

"My place...Wanted me to meet with you first...Figured something like this might happen, I guess..."

"Damned right...The hell with them...They're adults...More or less...They know our history, they'll understand or will have to...His Benevolence has been through this sort of thing many times and won't exactly suffer, I promise you...And she had no business getting involved with you, whether she saved you or no...Though it was Giles' fault for letting her know about the Partners' attack and not telling me..."

"Buffy..." William sighed... "Dawn is your sister..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CX...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (110!) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

This one's a single...IB99 and 100 are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

New Sunnydale, California...

"Hello there. Pleasant evening, isn't it?"

"Ummn..." Buffy attempts to hide her nasty-looking stake from what appears to be an innocent, if somewhat odd toddler.

"So..." Narrow-eyed look from oval-headed infant in red jump-suit and yellow shirt. A large white-haired dog at his side, on two feet and bearing a video camera in his paw, looking resigned. "Buffy Summers...World-saving Slayer?"

"Uh...Yeah. Hey, who are you?" Slight defensive stiffening...

"No need to get all murderous, girl. My card."

She stares at crayon-written beige construction paper card... "Stewart Griffin, Esquire."

"Well, isn't that the cutest..."

"Oh, shut up you dim-witted blonde tin soldier! Do you think I came here to have you coo over my manly good looks?"

Stare...

"Well, yes...I did. But I have other concerns as well..."

"Huh...?"

"'Huh'...Tell me is that Californian for 'what do you want?' , 'sorrry, no speaka de English?', or meant to be a mere squeal before dying?"

"What the heck? Where are your parents?"

"The brain-dead couple who serve me left me in the care of a loathsome toad of an obese walking pimple. I and my associate Brian here left him to be consumed, oh I do so hope, by one of the rather unnatural creatures roaming about here in New Sunnydale. Slayer...I, Stewart Griffin, future Overlord of all Earth and several colonies I plan to found, offer you..."

"Honey, that's cute and so are you. But lets go find your parents and..."

"They are not my genetic precursors, you short twit! And I am speaking here!" Pulls ray gun from pocket...

"Hey!" stare at vaporized stake, ashes falling before her...

"The next shot takes out your feeble blonde brain! Now...Why, you..."

"Don't hurt him, ma'am. He really is an infant."

"You talk?"

"Yes. What, you gonna tell me you've never dealt with a talking dog before? My God. Is this 21st century California or the Middle Ages?"

"Sorry. So he's really just a kid?"

"I am STEWART GRIFFIN, future... Now, see here, you bitch! Stop that!"

"Such a little cutie with his widdle ray gun. Tickle, tickle...hee."

"Yeah. Widdle ray gun that he just destroyed several buildings of historic importance with..." Brian frowns.

"Set me down, you errand-girl sent by occult grocery clerks! Right, then...Our negotiations will be as follows. A certain party to whom I am reluctantly indebted to..."

"His mom likes you and William together." Brian sighs.

"William? But how would you..."

"I maintain full and intense surveillance on all global activities of interest, young lady. And the certain party heard about you and dead boy on Entertainment Tonight. Seems your dead boyfriend wrote a moving and heartfelt (Oh, boo-hoo) account of your time together and she..."

"What? But Will's dead...er... Did he leave a book?"

"Well...He may be dead...Or deader...But he's been looking pretty lively on the book tour circuit. Didn't you see him on Oprah the other day?"

"I've been busy. In Europe. He's Unlive?"

"Yes, and apparently was restored to Humanity for unselfish good deeds and world-saving or some such nonsense like that...Though given his current choice of fashion statement as opposed to his past, I would suggest he was better off dead."

"Alive? But why didn't he..."

"Yes, yes. Enough of that. Suffice it to say your beau lives and it being almost Valentine's Day, I've decided to placate the thing from which I derive sustenance from by bringing one of her numerous romantic fantasies to fruition."

"Huh?"

"Ah, that vacant look again. I can see why he stays away. However, dangerous as it might be to Humanity's genetic future to allow two such blonde things to mate, bringing you together is my mission and now, chop, chop...Off you go to romantic bliss."

"Now wait a minute. Hey, kid! Stop pushing!"

"Come on, you stupid cow!" "I'm sorry. He really does mean well."

"Look, stop it! It so happens, kiddo. I'm involved with someone right now."

"Inwhat?"

"Look, I didn't know he was still around. He never came to see me. And after a few..."

"You tramp! You mean to say this fellow died for you and with all the occult sources at your disposal you never even tried to get him back?"

"Hey! I'm not good at that sorta thing."

"Yes. You do look more like the type to carry a tray and take orders. So you went and got 'involved' with some clown? What, another animated corpse? I'd consider psychiatric help, young lady. Necrophilia must be nipped in the bud as I learned once much to my shame."

[Cut to Stewie with dead pet hamster in open cage several months ago. "Why Ms. Hamster, why so stiff and cold? Here, let the Stew man warm those...Whatever they are...I...

Oh, God...Why they're almost identical to Lois'...

OH GOD...]

"Listen, you little...I happen to be dating one of the world's most powerful, most important, most famous..."

Chuckles from Stewie...Brian struggling to keep straight face.

"Yes...Would that by any chance have been...His Benevolence, the Immortal?"

"The one and only..." firm nod...

Heh, heh...Ha...ha...ha...ha... Stewart and Brian rolling on ground now.

"Uh, sorry." Brian remembers himself and sheepishly stands up.

"And does...'His Benevolence'...Sport a goatee and mustache and wear a suit with top hat...Like Brian is now wearing?"

Ummn...

"And does he speak in a great, deep voice. Like Brian does...When he uses my special great, deep voice amplifier? Does he, huh?...Huh?...Huh?...I do hope I'm getting the little nuances of your impressive local dialect right..."

Oh my God...

"Buffy. I never meant to hurt you." Brian sighs.

"And believe me, girl...He's anything but Immortal." Stewie chuckles.

"It's symbolic. Each descendant takes the predecessors's place in the family line. See...For the past thousand years, Mankind has been in the protection of my kind. We try to see you don't utterly screw yourselves to what extent we can."

"You're lying...It can't be."

"Wanta see his mole? On the right cheek, remember? And you know what sort of 'cheek' I mean."

Arrggh... "No, wait. This is some kind of trick. You're a fiend from Hell, both of you are, and you want me to go and fall into your ambush. Well, kiddo...Buffy Summers wasn't born yesterday."

"No, but I was born less than a couple of years ago and even I can run rings around you intellectually, girlie. Heck even the moron dog here has played you like a..."

"Oh? And just why should I do what you want? Are you like, some super beast with mind-controlling powers disguised as an aberrant member of the Family Circus?"

"Oh, ho…ho. Good one, girl. Wait…Why you blonde bitch! "

"Disguised superbeast with incredible sexual prowess…?" sidelong look…

"Hmmn? Uh, well…No. Just the infant supergenius who's got your ovaries in a vise! Oh...Brian?"

Yeah….exasperated sigh from Brian holding video camera.

"Roll…film."

"Ok. Uh, look Buffy, I'm not involved in this…Just doing my job, you understand?"

"Roll the blasted video, you moronic dog!"

"Hey. That's yesterday...Right after I defeated the demonic Osama returned from the grave to lead Unholy war on civilized mankind."

"Ok..." Buffy shrugs. "So, a great win for me….What's the big…?"

"One more little scene…" Stewie smiles coldly.

"So ah, Slayer-girl. Nice one there wid the victory over Evil and all. I got it on my video cam here. Hey, Peter Griffin of Rhode Island, just visitin' with the family here. Brian, hold this a minute. So, ah…Buffy, right? You, ah, ever like to relax after battle with a little fast sex with a passer-by?"

"What?" Video image suddenly wavers wildly.

"Hey, just askin'. No need to wave that stick around. Anyway, if you're interested, my car's just over there. Here's my motel address if you like it better after dark."

"Get outta here, jerk!" grabs the rude speaker, a large, fat blob of a man, holding him close a second.

Later…Here's my number…Hang up if someone named 'Dawn' answers…a faint, quick hissed whisper…

"Could we hear that again, please? Volume up?" Stewie calls. Brian, sighing, rewinds.

Buffy staring…

"And we have more from that little…Rendezvous…Later that night. Should you need to see more?"

The really awful thing is…That Homer Simpson guy passing by a moment later turning her down…She running after him, begging, threatening while he pleads that he's a good husband and father? Brian thought. God, was this my fault? When I said we should wait till she was over William? Or is she just that desperate for something warm?

"You can really restore my beloved William to me?" Buffy asks hastily.

"Immortal Beloved..." CXI...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (111) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

The song, "I'm Confessin'..." was suggested by Ms. Rose Cooke...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series

LA...2am...The attack of the Senior Partners' army, though insanely costly in terms of both personnel and material, was at last rolling to its inevitable conclusion...The tactical problem more the paucity of targets than anything else...Most of the damage having been inflicted through conflict among the various demon clans then by the common enemy, despite valiant fighting by said enemy...

Play

"I'm confessing that I love you.

Tell me, do you love me too?"

"You!" a startingly harsh cry from the slight blonde figure caused the group of huge scale-covered demons to stop in their nervous fleeing from the site on which the more courageous...Or foolhardy...were converging...The final moment of triumph, for some, not to be missed...For those more mindful of personal safety, to be avoided like the plague that had killed the humans this particular set of demons had once been...One turned...And trembled on recognizing the speaker...

It's..Her...

Nice dress...She noted the elegant if somewhat rumpled gown...Guess she was in a hurry not to miss things...

"Are they still...Which way?..." an tone not to be denied...

"Where are they?...So help me, if you don't..."

"Mercy..." the creature gasped, its fellows likewise cringing... "That way..." it pointed...

"Take me..."

"Ma'am?...I..."

"Take me or..."

"But...Arrrggghh..."

"Ok...You..." a point to the nearest survivor...

"Uh...Yes, ma'am...But, I think they're dust by now ma'am..."

"No...I'd know if he...If they were...Come on...You others, get lost!..."

An order obeyed with eager alacrity...

Geesh...The male called to duty as tour guide frowned at the small figure urging him on...

She musta teleported here...Why don't she just...?

"If we're too late you are gonna fry...!"

Right, speculate later, time of the essence...He hurried along...

"I'm confessing that I need you.

Honest I do."

"Need you every moment."

"Angel?..." A gasp... "Can you...?" A proffered stake... "I'm through...C'mon, poof...Take it, don't let them have the satisfaction...For God's sake, Liam..."

"I can't even see now, Spike..." a weary reply...

"Hey, soul boys!..." a cry from the merry band now surrounding them... "Where's your girlfriend and her buddies?...She too busy screwin' the Immortal to come?..." one witty fellow sneered, chuckling...Howls of laughter...

"Hey, Angel...You ready to see Hell again...No scenic route this time!..." another cackled...

"Look at him, he's blind!...Ha, ha...Arrrrggh..." sound of a body falling...

"Did I?..." Angel asked, trying to make anything out in the blackness...

"Nice shootin' for a blind man..." William patted him...Angel grabbed his arm, a tense hiss...

"Can you make it?...I'll try and keep them...Busy..."

"Angel...I'm minus one arm and my leg's about as broken as a vamp's can be...Thanks for the thought though..."

"You mean this?..." one in the crowd held up part of an arm, hand attached... "Come on over and maybe I'll give it back!...Har, har, ha...!" The crowd howled with glee...One looking back to sneer at the cowards fleeing the site of Evil's greatest triumph...You miserable...

Ummn...He blanched at the sight of the figures bearing down on them...

"My...God...It's...!" he turned to his mates...A horde of them turning...

"Outta my way!..." a harsh cry...The ranks parting, a number fleeing... "It's the Slayer!..." a few cried... Others staring...No?...Oh...A few falling to their feet...

Angel turning to a William now down on one knee, struggling to hold the stake he'd offered Angel to his heart with his remaining arm ...Buffy?...

"In your eyes I read such strange things,

but your lips deny they're true."

"Will your answer really change things,

making me blue?"

"I was afraid someday you'll leave me.

Saying: "Can't we still be friends?"..."

"Back!...Outta the way!..."

"Buffy..."

"William!...Angel!..." The horde had now completely parted to let her through...Most eyes on her, several looking at each other in confusion...What?...Why?...

"Buffy..." Will whispered...

The crowd of demons parting now at the back to let a small, bespectacled, death-'s head of a 'man' through... "Are they dust yet?...What's going on here?..." he demanded, shoving his way through... "Mr. Joseph, sir...She's here..." one of the crowd called to him... "What?..."

She stood before the two vamps now, an appraising look...Then a weak smile... "You two don't look so good..."

"Never...better..." William gasped out...

The crowd beginning to regroup, murmuring to each other...Silenced at a glare from her...

"What...?" she knelt by him... "No kiss for your girl?..."

He suddenly grabbed at her... "I knew you'd come, girl..."

"Sorry..." he gasped... Feeling himself slipping away... "So sorry, love..."

Her look, over his shoulder, a strange mix of harsh gleam, moderated by a sudden startled, nervous uncertainty...

"But if you go, you know you'll grieve me.

All in life on you depends."

"Am I guessing that you love me?

Dreaming dreams of you in vain."

"William..." she whispered as he collapsed round her into dust...

"Dammit!...Dammit!..." Joseph screamed as he broke through to them...Angel falling to the ground now as well, ashes in seconds... a faint "Nina..." on his lips...

She rose...

"You!..." Joseph hollered... "What have you done?...What were you thinking?..."

She gave a harsh glare at the little 'man'...

"They're dead...We've won...Lets go home..." she said coldly...

"Our chance to destroy their souls...Drag them to despair and Evil..." he fumed... "That one brief half-second when we could have triumphed over them eternally...How could you have let it slip?..."

"He knows...They know...They'll be hurt...Leave it at that..."

"Hurt?...Hurt?...Well, thanks...All this effort...This whole year to try and recover something from our defeats...Avenge your defeat, my dear..." he glared... "All for nothing...You had his soul in your hands...One word and you could have won him to us...Maybe Angel as well..."

"He wouldn't have broken...It was pointless..." she shrugged...

"They died content...You let them die content?..."

"He knows now she didn't come...That's victory enough for us...Lets go..."

"But he also knows now why she didn't come...Dammit, you knew we had only one shot to destroy him...Both of them..."

"He wouldn't have believed me...You and your partner the Immortal are fools...The plan was doomed from the start...There was no point in going on with it..."

He eyed her...No...It couldn't be...

"You...You're...With that foolish romantic nothing of a soul..."

She sighed... "I slipped up once in an immortal existence...Kill me...If you think you can..."

"No...I can't...But I can see you're kept drained of energy and tortured in Hell for the next ten thousand years!..."

"I can use the rest...Shall we go?..."

"You're the First Evil...Evil, pure and unadulterated...How could you do this?..."

"Look...You and the Immortal suggested I take her form and hang with him when he got the soul...You and he got me her body...You recommended I make this last try to break him...I can't help it if something of her..."

He stared at her...

"I don't know..." she hesitated... "Just...For that one moment when he reached for me...And was so sorry he couldn't stay...So sorry for me..."

"I was Buffy..."

"Heartwarming...If you weren't our only hope of turning the Slayer Corps..."

"No..." she sighed... "I don't think so...He wouldn't like it..." she whipped the stake she'd taken from William's ashes into her...Buffy's...body...

A glow of blue light beside Joseph as he and the huge crowd stared at the dead Slayer's body...

She...The one who'd guided her gasped..."She was...Corporeal...?"

"Sir..." the young woman just arrived turned to him... "His Benevolence is dead...The First has betr..." She stared at the body...

"I'm confessing that I love you,

over again."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (112) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

The great hall of Castle Immortale, imperial Alpine home of the famed Immortal...Where a dramatic confrontation of good and evil was taking place...

For once, Buffy a nervous and startlingly undecided onlooker...

"Buffy...I...I'm losing...I'm too weak to hang on!...You must help me...For William's sake!...Will you fail him yet again...Cicely?..." His Benevolence cried out to her as he held off Willow's series of mystic energy blasts...

"Willow...You'd better leave him for the Council...Let them decide what to do with him..." Buffy turned to her rather preoccupied friend...

"He's too... powerful...Most of the other Slayers and half the Council have fallen under his sway..." Willow shook her head grimly...Focusing all her power...

Heck even I had a little thing for him...And, ya know...she shrugged...

"Say...?" she briefly glanced Buffy's way... "Who's Cicely?..."

"Buffy..." a groan from the Immortal, struggling to maintain his shield... "If I am destroyed, William's protected status is gone...Even the spell that brought him to corporeality will be in jeopardy...You must help me...You know Willow has done evil herself..."

"Willow...Please...You don't understand...I need him..."

"Buffy..." a frown...

"No...Not that way..." the Slayer glared... "To save William...You don't know who William really was...Who I was..."

"I'm sorry about Spike, Buffy..." The Immortal's mystic energy shield flickered and seemed to collapse... "But this thing...has... to... die..."

And you can find another vamp boyfriend...

"No!..." She rammed Mr. Pointy into Willow's chest, the wiccan screaming in agony...

"Ha!...You think that's power, you bitch?...Here's real power!..." the Immortal rose, channeling his power directly at Willow... "Die, pseudo-goddess...!...And say hello in Hell to my spirit brother, Warren...! "

Willow collapsed, dead before she hit the floor...Her body disappearing in sudden flame...Only a few smoking rags and bits left...

"Willow!...Oh, God..." Buffy gasped...

"It was her destiny..." His Benevolence smiled coldly, rising up, apparently none the worse for wear... "And now you must fulfill yours...Now, together we will bring an end to the destructive, endless conflict of Slayer and Demon...Saving your William as well as countless others...Once more the Immortals will rule on Earth!...Mankind will be safe under our benevolence protection..."

And peace...will be restored at last...

She trembled, staring at him...A brief struggle but finally she knelt as he came over to her... "I...I pledge myself to your teachings...I'll do whatever you ask...If you'll save my William..."

Ah...A benevolent leer of triumph...

Ummn... "Except butchering defenseless kids like Anakin Skywalker did...There are limits..." she noted...

"What?...Well...I suppose..."

"And speakin' of limits...Dawnie remains off-limits...And I do mean save...Deal's off if he's smoldering when we get to LA..."

"Of course, my dear...I would point out I have already brought him back and protected him for a year...You can trust me to deliver him safe to you..."

What's she mean by that crack about her sister?...I've always gone out of my way to be nice to Dawn...

"Shall we head for LA, my new apprentice?...Your William is in some danger..."

"Yeah...Really sorry about this, Willow!..." Buffy nodded at the smouldering remains... "But your soul's clear and free now..."

And you of all folks know how love can send ya for a spin...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXIII...

Summary: Another of my IB versions of what happened at and/or after the last battle...Because, as the great Douglas once wrote, stress has become a major problem in the Galaxy, for this one you should know that one version of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" based on the radio scripts ended with Arthur Dent stealing the Heart of Gold, the famed Infinite Improbability Drive powered starship and heading off with the archeologist Lintilla (played by Rula Lenska) and the paranoid android Marvin, in an angry fit after learning that ex-part-time Galatic President Zaphod Beeblebrox had been part of a conspiracy to destroy the Earth to prevent the readout of the Ultimate Question to Life, the Universe, and Everything...

Disclaimers: Not mine but thine O, Joss!...And Douglas...Who is not like God but is God...Or should be...

Archived with the rest of the IB versions 1-113 at the "Normal"verse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, .com/zine2/buffyrebecca/index Scroll down to series...

Best of all, I can bring Arthur and co back in the "Buffy Effect" series...

"Hello there..." a voice from all about them..."Them" consisting of two figures, one standing with difficulty in what might be taken for a sort of defensive mode, if a rather pathetic-looking one, given the blonde-haired figure's wobbly stance and lack of arms...As in one limb being totally gone and the other holding nothing but the end of a metal pole...And the other figure, in rather worse shape, collapsed in a heap not calculated to give much encouragement to a belief in it as a living form...

An English-accented voice, William, the blond figure, noted wearily, looking round...

"Angel?..." he gasped... A groan from the battered mass on the rather shiny floor suggesting Angel was still to some extent with him...

"You have just been rescued from annihilation at an improbability factor of 2 x 10-37...

Normality, or what passes for it, will be restored shortly...Uh...Please stand by..."

The owner of said voice now turned from the control console he sat behind...

"At last...For once I'm the one who gets to do dole that sort of thing out...And someone else has to try to figure what the bloody hell's gone wrong with his lifestyle..." he sighed contentedly...

"Is that all it takes to satisfy you?..." the tall figure standing near him, humanoid in configuration...The usual two upper and lower limbs, one head of sorts, but clearly robotic in nature, sighed morosely... "If you had a brain the size of a planet as I do that wouldn't so much as fill the emptiness of one half of one of your 10exp55 nanomemory chips...Ah, but you don't..."

"Marvin..." the owner of the original English-accented voice which William had heard, a tall thirty-something human of relatively pleasant...If you happened to be a primate-descended human being...Appearance...Wearing an old and rather worn bathrobe, a pleasant if faded red in color on the outside ...Frowned at the robot...

"Shut up..."

"Before or after I complete the meaningless chore you intend to send me on?...You may as well just tell me to go in the corner and rust...It'd be equally satisfying...But it would spare having to go through the tedious muck of you canceling that last order and telling me to go and fetch the hybrid Earthlings..."

"Oh, just...Hybrid Earthlings?...What do you mean, hybrid?..."

"Just what I said...Attempting to communicate with your limited primate brain there's no point in trying to be subtle..."

"But hybrid, how?...You mean mixed parentage or something?...Well, let me tell you, Marvin..." the tall human in bathrobe drew himself up in his chair rather proudly... "On my Earth we'd conquered a lot of that kind of thing in our natures...I had a lot of 'hybrid' friends...And we didn't go round calling them..."

"That's not what I mean..." Marvin sighed... "They're not, fortunate creatures, fully Earth human...But then, this isn't fully Earth..."

"The devil you say?...Not fully human?...Are they, what?...Part alien?...Some other hitchhiker's offspring...God..." the human sighed...

"Don't tell me they're Zaphod's...I know he's been to Earth before..."

"They don't possess any of any Zaphod Beeblebrox's genetic material...If you mean alien as in the sense of coming from another planet rather than from over the next hill, no..."

"Well, then...Ehew..." the man stared at the robot... "You mean they're part dog or chimp or something?...My God, I know this isn't my Earth but still...Standards and all that..."

"I thought you said your people had conquered a lot of that kind of thing in your natures...It's recorded, to my utter boredom, in my memory bank..."

"I meant among human beings..."

"Oh?...Well, what an achievement...No wonder your species had progressed so far before the Vogons destroyed your Earth..." Marvin said with heavy irony...

"Are you trying to be funny?..." the man glared...

"I wouldn't waste the time...Pointless...Like my existence..."

"Bother your pointless existence for once...What did you mean by hybrid if they not part alien or animal or something?..."

"There were pan-dimensional gateways constantly opening on the planet below...A number of what loosely pass for sentient species crossed over from alternate Earths on a regular basis...Some of them chose to mate or otherwise combine with the humans here...Some, infinitely wiser, though none bearing a faction of my intellect, preferring just to hunt and eat the humans here..."

"Well that's horrible...Was this the best alternate Earth you could lead the ship to?...Surely there must be one more like my poor ole Earth?..."

"There are an infinite number of alternate Earths and their universes...This met most of the characteristics you said you wanted...It was only because I have the brain the size of a planet much larger than the miserably small world below that I was able to target the Improbability Drive to get us here...If you want to give me additional information we can try again...But you won't like it...And the creatures are part something besides human..."

"Most of the characteristics I wanted?..." the man repeated, frowning... "Marvin, I specifically asked for a safe Earth, free from hitchhiking aliens, spaceships, and all that sort of..."

"Hard to avoid when we must come in a spaceship..." Marvin noted... "But this Earth does meet that qualification best...It's shrouded by the dimensional gateways from normal hyperspace in this universe...We were only able to come because of the Improbability Drive...Nobody ever visits except from other Earths...Why they bother, I can't say...Awful-looking place...I..."

"Say?...You mean our guests...They're part pan-dimensional beings?...Like the mice who had my Earth constructed?..."

"Yes...But these beings obviously weren't in mouse form..."

"Well, they're still part-alien to me...And I told you I didn't want..."

"If I weren't so depressed I might try to point out this is their home, not yours...But it's pointless...God, I'm so depressed..."

"Well...Lets have a look at them..." the man twisted a knob on the control console...A viewscreen blinked on before him...

"Number One..." Captain Picard said resolutely, turning to his second-in-command, both with phasers ready... "Lets proceed to the bridge and see if we can meet our captors..."

"They look human enough..." the man eyed the pair... Hmmn...Doesn't look like one of our transit rooms...

"Isn't Normality...Such as it is in this universe...Restored yet?..." he turned to the robot...

"Yes..."

"Then why does the ship look so strange there?..." the man pointed at the screen at the two figures now moving down a grim-looking spaceship corridor...

Wait a bit...

"Marvin, is that Captain Picard of Star Trek?..."

"Yes...You're watching a television broadcast from the planet...The viewscreen engages to the transit rooms with the buttons to the right..." Marvin sighed...

Oh...Right...The man pressed the right button...

Hmmn...He eyed the two somewhat bedraggled-looking fellows...Definitely not resolutely moving anywhere... "They seem human enough too, if not so unwounded, clean, and resolute...But they must've been in quite a barroom brawl...Or was it a football match riot we pulled them out of?...By the way is that blonde fellow this Earth's Billy Idol?..."

"They were in an Apocalyptic struggle against several thousand of the evil versions of the pan-dimensionals I told you about...No, he's not..."

Though he does write this universe's worst poetry...Marvin noted...

"Apocalyptic struggle?...Against several thousand?...And you call this a 'safe' Earth?...Or do you definite 'safe' in some strange way at Sirius Cybernetics?..."

"They won...The enemies of what passes for Humanity have had to retreat, forever, to their world...And Humanity here has other powerful defenders...Why, God knows..."

"As so do I, having a brain the size of a planet...But..."

"Enough, Marvin..." the man cut him off...Pressing the next right button to Transit Room #2...

Hmmn...No one...?

"Where's...?"

"Corridor seven, doorway five..." Marvin sighed..."The fourth button on the right..."

The man in robe pressed the fourth button...A wary-looking, short, but lovely blonde girl, in slightly disheveled but stylish-looking clothes, holding something like a sharp stick in hand, carefully moving down a corridor that did look reasonably like the "Heart of Gold"'s corridors...

"Marvin?...What's that she's got in her hand...?"

"A wooden stick, sharpened...What a pleasure it is to serve you..." the robot droned, a slight sarcastic tone...

"I know it's a wooden stick...What's she going to do with it?..." (And is she seeing anyone, human or otherwise? being the real question uppermost in his mind...)

"If I didn't know the limitations of your primate brain to the nth root of infinity, I'd be touched by your faith in my ability to predict the future...But since I do, I'm just depressed by your inability to refrain from constantly asking senseless questions...And no, no particular person since she killed her most recent date..."

"Killed?..."

"Evil, deserved it...Though she was in the city with the other two to save the blonde one from his enemies..."

"Oh." the man gave a short, stilted one...

"Sorry...Life, let me tell you about life..."

"But how do you know...?"

"I can see the brainwave patterns in her primitive primate's brain just as with yours, though hers is a bit more..."

"She's speaking...I can't make out the words..."

"Interdimensional Califorian...Difficult even for the standard Babel fish brainwave translator...Better have the computer get you the advanced fish adapted for transdimensional travel...Though she's not saying anything worth your time...Just calling some names...Probably the other two..."

"William!...Angel!..." the woman on screen called...

"Computer?..." the man called...

"Hey, Art...This is Eddie, your shipboard computer, and really enjoying this little spree in a parallel universe...What can I do you for?..." a voice from a wall speaker returned...

"Arthur..." Arthur frowned... "In fact, "Mr. Dent" wouldn't be bad..."

"Why not Grand Imperial Galatic Fleet Lord Poobah Arthur Dent while you're at it?..." Marvin sighed...

"Ok, Misterdent it is..." the voice replied... "Did I mention we have an intruder alert thing?...Corridor seven, doorway eight and coming this way...The subject, the very attractive young human female with a really astonishing metabolic rate we just brought aboard to Transit Room #2, being armed with what seems to be..."

"Yes, yes, I know..." Arthur waved a hand... "I'm having trouble understanding her language...Marvin says you have a more advanced Babel fish?..."

"The best catch of the day, Misterdent...Step right up to my #3 extruder slot and I'll give your ear a reason worth living..."

"Oh, God I'm so depressed..." Marvin sighed...

"Immortal Beloved..." CV...

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Various outcomes following "Girl In Question" and /or "Not Fade Away" on Angel...Ok, just had to do one more...but I absolutely, positively...On my mother's soul...

Ok, I'm lying...But me poor ole mum would just say, "so long as I like it, it's ok..."

Oh, God...

First visit home with soul and she has to be touring London...he shook his head, hoping that perhaps...

"William!...William!...Hey!..."

No such luck...

"I know thee not, old girl, fall to thy prayers..." he whispered to himself...

He stopped as she reached him, pulled at him... "William?...Oh, geesh...I can't believe..."

"Yes?...Ms. Summers?..."

"I can't believe it...Or that suit...Say, how are you managing...?" she indicated the bright afternoon sunshine...

"Our firm's acquired some daylight protections...Sorry, I'm on my way to an appointment with my publisher...Nice to see you again, Ms. Summers...Hello, Ms. Rosenberg..." he nodded to Willow...Who was still eyeing his light brown dress suit, spectacles, and rather longish, brownish-blonde hair...

"What?...What the hell's...?...Spike?..." she tried to embrace him but he pulled free and stepped back before she could...Eyeing her coolly...

"I'm afraid you have the wrong person, Ms. Summers..."

She frowned... Looking at Willow who shrugged...

"My name is William...Soames Walthrop...I believe you're looking for a demon named Spike, currently residing in Hell..." he said precisely, eyeing her...

"Oh...I get..." she started to take a classic hand on hip, glare pose but was a bit non-plussed to find he'd started off... "William?..." Willow tried...

He stopped, shaking his head...And turned...

"Ms. Rosenberg?..."

"William, what the fuck is going on?...You're mad at me?..." Buffy had reached him, Willow a bit reluctantly now, right after her...

"Ms. Summers?..." he stared at her... "Did you ladies want something?...I'm afraid if you need a Champion, you'll have to contact our firm...I only do that business by appointment through the office now..." he waited a moment...

"You didn't even tell me..." Buffy began, trying a glare again...Willow looking uncomfortable, glancing at his set face...

I don't think that's happiness to see us, Buf...

"It hardly mattered..." he replied coldly..."You'd moved on...And so have I..."

"I told you...At the Crater..."

"As I told you...That was kind of you..." he nodded... "Excuse me..."

Well...Willow thought...Xander loses five bucks...He didn't ask if His Benevolence appreciated it as much as he did...

"Look, Will...William?..." Buffy followed after him... "You gotta understand..."

He stopped again, as she pulled at his arm...

"All right, then..." he sighed... "It being my home turf, let me do this the right way, by my old human lights...Uh...Look, Ms. Summers...It pains me to say that the outcome of our previous acquaintanceship was not such as would lead me to wish to pursue any further relationship...I should like to receive no future attentions from you, nor do I intend to offer any such attentions to you...In short, Ms. Summers...My bloody cookies are no longer available to you...I wish you all good fortune with yours in your future life...Ms. Rosenberg..." he nodded to the blinking Willow...

"Good day..."

With that he turned and strode off...

"Willow?...What the hell's he doin'?..." Buffy looked at her for an answer...

"I think it's called a brush-off, Buf...Though maybe here in England..."

"He's been hexed or something...Check his aura thing or whatever..." she was looking after him as he continued to the corner and flagged a taxi... "Come on, we gotta follow him..."

"Buf...I don't think..."

"Right, you better teleport us to the cab...You still got enough juice for that these days?..."

"Not a moving one...Buffy, I really don't think we..."

"Hey, Cab!..." Buffy put a hand out to hold the cab that had stopped short in front of her as she ran out to intercept it... "C'mon, Wil..."

"Lady?...You crazy?..."

"Follow that cab...That one, by the corner, yeah..." she waved a credit card and cash at the passenger window, throwing the back door open... "Willow, come on!..." she grabbed at and dragged a glum Willow into the back... "Go on, move it!.." she hollered at the driver's window...

"You're the boss, lady..." the driver shrugged, pulling out...

"Buffy...He didn't seem..." Willow tried gently...

"Probably mind control..." Buffy shook her head... "Bet Angel lied to us about defeating the Partners with the local Slayer help Giles sent...Or maybe it's Drusilla..." she brightened...

Yeah...That would be perfect...Buffy closes the evil circle and saves her honey from his wrathful ex- with good ole Mr. Pointy...Yeah...

"Buf...I think maybe he just..."

"He loves me...You know that...There's something evil at work..."

Like maybe the two years you never did anything to see if he was ok in Heaven or wherever?...Willow did not say...

"You think...?" Buffy paused... "Wil, You think maybe he knows about...?"

"I think anyone who read 'People' this past year knew about you and the Immortal, Buf..." Willow sighed...

"But that was only a filler...I mean he's not around anymore, right?...Not a keeper..."

Hmmn?...It sure seemed back last year like you and he were...Till he started talking about an Immortal needing 'space'...And even I saw something was wrong when Andy came back, trying to be so tight-lipped and mysterious and the rumors about Spike started flyin'...

I mean, no offense, Buf...she thought...But if it were me hearing the slightest indication that Tara might still be...

"Some big bad is up to something and she's gonna pay...Hey, maybe it's the First, warping his mind again...Hey, put it to the floor, pal!..." Buffy called to the driver...Who shrugged and increased speed...Slightly...

Fortunately the London afternoon traffic keeping the other cab in range...

"What'd he mean, 'you've moved on and so have I'?...Wil?..."

"Ummn...Probably that you've found someone new...And..." she blinked at Buffy's murderously dark glare...

"...so he wants to make it easy for you..." she finished in near-squeak...

Times like this I still wish I hadn't blown the old wiccan battery out on Slayer powerup...She eyed the glaring Slayer...

"Then he must be in some dark bitch's grip..." Buffy nodded... "He'd never want to make it easy for me...He loves me..."

Perhaps he's just...Escaped some blonde bitch's grip...Willow did not say...Swaying as the cab lurched round a corner...

"He looked kinda nice it the suit..But I couldn't believe the hair...Wait?...Did he say 'appointment with my publisher'?..." Buffy asked... "You think he's writing again?..."

God, no...Reverse time and let the First win, anything but that...Willow sighed...

"That'd be so neat...I could be his Muse and all...I look great in those Greek robes...Remember when we did that bit from that Greek play in high school?..."

"Indelibly imprinted on my mind, Buf..." she sighed... "But Buffy, I think..."

"He said he'd love me to the end of the world...He died for me...This is a trick, an evil..." she looked, crestfallen, at Willow, then the window...

"A trick..." she firmly repeated... "Heck, even I've been magicksed with love spells and all...Hey, he's losin' us, move it, pal!..." hard smack at the divider plexiglass...

"Hey!...One more like that and out you go!..." the driver called back...

"Sorry...Hurry!..."

"...Or it could be a hate spell...He loves me but Dru or maybe Harmony...Or some really worthless bimbo...Is making him...But it's just making him..."

"Not like me...so much..." she stopped...Looking at Willow...

"He...Couldn't..."

"Sure...It must be a spell..." Willow nodded hastily... "Hey, pal! Pick it up!..." she called...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXVI...

Subtitle: "Mission: Implausible..."

A shortie...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: The usual note as to the IB sketches. Not a continuing story (unless lettered A-on) but possible and im- outcomes from "Chosen" and "Not Fade Away...".

Freelancer William Soames Walthrop has been given a vital assignment in...Yes, Italy.

Twilight, Los Angeles.

A short but lithe and handsome blonde young man in black leather jacket and red t-shirt strides across the deserted park. A grim visaged fellow standing in the shadows seeking prey eyes him but wisely thinks better of the notion, the young fellow turning to cast a quick, hard smile his way, not breaking his stride.

Reaching his goal, a park bench near the exit, the young man pauses, searching for something. Spying a bag in the battered wire trash bin next to the bench he removes it and grimacing a moment at the chewed and rotting remains inside, pulls out a broken beer bottle. A young and attractive female jogging by eyes him with a frown. Though looking up he immediately senses her annoyance is more than just a register of disapproval.

"Sorry, love." he calls to her, grinning. "Try back that way." he jerks a thumb pointing back to a path to his left where the other man still lurked.

Well, set one species of vermin to catch another...he notes to himself as the vampiress takes his advice and begins jogging back and to the left path.

Ah...The mother lode...He pulls out a small, rolled-up manilla envelope with a tiny cassette tape taped to the inner side which had been hidden in the bottle.

Damn...Sucking a cut thumb...They might've found an easy way to get this one to him. He pulled out a miniature tape player and inserted the cassette. Putting on small but highest quality earphones.

Hmmn...Sucking still bleeding thumb...Likely need stitches at this rate...Ought to speak to his Missus, Nina, one of these days. Broodo is clearly headed over the edge with this stuff.

"Good evening, Mr. Walthrop..." a voice issues...Loudly into the night. Oops. He shoves the plug of the earphones more tightly into the player's socket. Ah...

"A certain famed celebrity is due to be married in Italy shortly."

Angel? Have you been reading 'People'?

"Until now no media outlet has hoped to succeed in penetrating the tight security at the wedding site and obtaining first run photos and background on what is billed as the celebrity wedding of the century."

As they all are...the man sighs.

"However we have obtained, through our operatives, the credentials that will allow one of our best to pass as a guest and thus obtain what no other outlet has..."

"Gr...reat..."

"...the first pictures of the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes."

"And did is what superhero Champions are reduced to once all major foes are vanquished?" the blonde man sighs. "At least tell me Katie is actually the First corporealized."

"Look, I know it's not defeating the Partners, Spike. Or even fighting human evil as top-notch lawyers." the taped voice continued. "But as you well know we couldn't continue claiming to be a law firm without actual law degrees and you were the one who wanted to write again."

"Yeah, write...As in literature and journalism...Not vapid candy for suicidally desperate housewives."

Still...A byline is a byline...And it would put diapers on adopted lil' William's fanny...

But...Italy...

Eh, what the hell. Big country...What are the odds? And even we did, say...Run into each other chasing some murderous Undead scum about to gorge on voluptuous Italian flesh...Big deal. I'm a professional...She's...Whatever...

Probably Mrs. Immortal now anyway...Never gets her hands bloody these days...Wouldn't even deign to notice me if she ran over me with her limo.

"As always. Should you be caught and staked...Or fried at dawn...We don't know you...Though Nina will be a good mom to Will, Jr."

"Thanks, loads."

"This tape will self-destruct in five seconds...Just kidding. Anyway, let me give you the low-down on the Cruise place..."

William ripped the tape out and threw it in the trash.

Hell, might as well make it a little challenging...

Mission: Impossible theme play ...

Cut to shot of William in glasses and formal suit entering Italian hotel. Cut to shot of confident, hulking security chief assuring rather overanxious Tom Cruise of his estate's safety from the curious...Cut to shot of hidden William in estate cubbyhole viewing Tom Cruise pulling human mask off to reveal hideous demon underneath...Cut to shot of Katie Holmes in passionate embrace of William in suit...Cut to shot of furious Buffy Summers in maid's outfit with small camera dangling at side catching said Katie and Will...Cut to shot of furious Mr. Cruise pounding fist on table a'la Richardo Montalban...Cut to shot of secret global warming weapon being dedicated to memory of Lord and Master L. Ron Hubbard by Cruise...Cut to shot of Buffy and William arguing...Cut to shot of Katie Holmes assuring William of her ignorance of Cruise's evil scheme...Cut to shot of Buffy rolling eyes...Cut to shot of Cruise and Holmes sans human masks exchanging gleeful sneers at handcuffed Buffy and Will about to meet doom by laser...Cut to shot of Cruise sneering as Holmes takes laser in forehead...Cut to shot of Buffy and Will free chasing Cruise to escape copter...Cut to shot of Cruise being forced to autograph both of their photos of the wedding couple before he is dispatched...Cut to nervous press agent trying to plausibly explain "tragic honeymoon accident"...Cut to shot of Buffy and Will fuming at each other...Cut to shot of Buffy's stunned face as Will mentions lil' Will...Cut to shot of Will's blinking face as Buffy shows picture of her own William Jr. currently home with Dawn...

Fade to black..Mission: Impossible end theme...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXVII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (117) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

This one's a single...IB99 and 100 and others are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

The battle at LA has ground down to its inevitable conclusion... Though Illyria has managed to spirit the badly wounded Gunn away, after heroic and satisfyingly gory resistance, Angel and William have been captured by the massive army of the Partners and brought to the ruins of the plaza in front of the battered Wolfram Hart Tower to await execution by sunrise under the gloating, drooling (pardon me, one slobbering, seven foot, bony-plate-covered demon guard politely notes to Angel) horde commanded now by the surviving local Partner, one Mr. Joseph, in appearance a bald, lizard-eyed, bespectacled little death's-head of a man in remarkably gore-and-debris-free business suit.

"Ha, ha, hah! At last, the two traitors are at bay!" Joseph sneers at the badly wounded pair bound before him.

"How long till we get outta here? The human armed forces will wipe us out if they learn we've crossed over. I hear the new Initiative has permission to use tactical nukes if necessary..." one nervous bird-faced demon hisses to his companion.

"Like they'll need 'em considering how many we lost just taking down these two..." the other, a white furred beast hissed back. "But we go when they fry at dawn."

A jab from their commander, a hog-like fellow in heavy armor silences the two...

"How does it feel to face your fate at last, soul-boys?" Joseph continues. "In fifteen minutes you both roast...And I'm sorry to say your dear girlfriend is busy giving her heart and selling her soul to our dear comrade the Immortal."

"Hah! I knew it!" Will raises a bloodied head to stare at Joseph.

"Oh, please. You were the one who threw in the towel the moment Andrew said he thought she actually liked him. By the way, pal..." Angel calls to Joseph. "She's not my girlfriend. Mine is still trying to fight her way to me."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Will frowned. "Buffy doesn't know we're dying here."

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Joseph cackled... "Go on, Angelus. Tell the poor romantic dolt how deeply his beloved Slayer treasures his memory."

A few of the demon horde sentient enough to follow the conversation eyed William...A good number rather sympathetically...

No bigger suckers for a star-crossed romance than the (sentient) Undead condemned...

"Angel?"

"Uh. Will...The thing is...I did send a message out to Giles outlying my plans with the Black Thorn and requesting help. I figured it was the least I could do for you guys to try and get a little assist, much as I hated going to him a second time. His answer was that Buffy didn't think it was a good idea to risk trusting us."

"You mean you...Trusting you."

"Bwa-ha-hah!" Joseph and a few standing near him howled.

"Ummmn. I'm afraid he mentioned both of us. Apparently Andrew didn't hold out on you more than a day after he took Dana back."

Oh...Will stared a moment.

"Well...No problem...I never expected..." he tried looking off to where the first streaks of dawn were showing...

She knew about the hands and didn't come?...the white furred creature blinked. That's awful...

"Isn't Love grand?" Joseph sneered again... "Now, you die alone, Walthrop!"

"Who's Walthrop?" Angel stared.

"Me. William Soames. Pleased to meet you." William sighed. "Look, baldy...Gloat all you want. I've known since the soul Buffy's not obligated to care for me. I'm sorry to hear she's made another bad dating choice but as far as we're concerned she helped me recover my human soul and we're square."

"Besides." Angel chimed in. "He's not dying alone. Neither of us are. We've friends who'll remember us fondly as good men who did their best in a noble cause. Something none of you can say."

"Bah!" Joseph glared. "Your time is over. That of Evil is nigh. And soon the Immortal will bring the Slayer and many of her sisters to our side...Voluntarily. Your sacrifice is for nothing!"

"Don't be silly, mate. Buffy might fall for a pretty face, a smooth patter, and a powerful love drug...But she'll pull out of it shortly and he'll be another...Mortal...notch on her belt." Will shook his head.

"Too bad you won't be around to eat those words, boy!" the bald death's head replied, shaking fist, then calming.

Can we cross back to Hell now, please...? the bird demon sighed to itself, perking its head up at the faint sounds of human activity...Ambulance, police, and fire sirens faintly wailing in the distance.

"Any last words before we greet the new day?" Joseph faced the two bound vampires.

"Actually...Yes." Will nodded.

Key of E, please...He turned to a hulking demon guard who'd been fingering a harmonica in lieu of the victory celebration. The demon nodded...Harmonica to lips...

"Spike?..." Angel stared...

"People or whatever...As I was rolling in the gore of your comrades, I suddenly realized...After years of baiting this pointy-haired, poor imitation of Christ..."

"Spike!"

"Well...I suddenly realized that ... this... this man...I choose to call him...Well...

Play

No one ever made me feel like someone

'Til him..."

Joseph and demon horde staring...

Hey, he's as good as Matthew Broderick...

"Life was really nothing but a glum one

'Til him...

My existence bordered on the tragic

Always timid, never took a chance

Then I felt his magic...And my soulless heart began to dance ..."

Ooooh...Ooooh...ooooooh...ooooh...ooo...

Joseph frowned at the demon back-up...

Sorry, boss...

"I was always frightened, fraught with worry...

'Til him...

I was going nowhere in a hurry

'Til him..."

Ahhh...Ahhh...aaahhh...Ahhh...

"He filled up my empty life

Filled it to the brim...

There could never ever be

Another one...like him..."

"Will?...I never realized...You...You're gay, aren't you?" Angel stared...

Joseph and demons nod at each other...Remember that time...

"But that was Angel who enjoyed the hitting..." the bird demon noted...

"No!...I'm telling you we're friends...At least now that we're souled heroes and I trump you by being the one who gained his voluntarily, besides beating you in that chase for the chalice..."

"My Undead existence was incorporeal...Til Him..." Ah ah ah...demon back-up. Joseph again glares at his crew of sentimental fools who clam up.

"Even with the soul I was a no one...Til Him..." Ah ah ah...Argggh... a few valiant wanna be chorus demons are vaporized.

"I filled up his empty life..." Angel joins in... "Filled it to the brim..."

"There's certainly been no greater ego..." Will... "Til Him..."

Frowning Angel relents on Will's grin...

Well... "At least you can sing..."

Sure can...several demons nod...

"Thanks, Angel. I sang it for you. I sang it because much to my horror, on our funeral pyre, I have to admit...I'm your friend."

Angel stared ... "You are? Gee, I've had a lot of relationships, but until Wesley, you couldn't call any of them friend. But come to think of it."

sings (clearly attempting to outdo Will...)

"No one ever ever really knew me. 'Til him.

Everyone was always out to stake or screw me.

'Til him..."

Ahhhh...Aaaah...Ahhh...Aaaahh...Ahhh...

Joseph shrugs...They do back up well...

"Never met an Unman I ever trusted

Always killed them in the past

Now I'm well adjusted

'Cause I've got a friend at last."

Ah...ah...ah...ah...

"Fellas, don't help me."

A demon guard leads William who'd taken advantage of the horde audience's focus on Angel to free himself from his chains and start slipping stage left back to the funeral pyre...

"Always playing singles, never doubles

'Til him

Never had an Undead pal to understand my troubles

'Til him "

William shrugs as Angel sees their little escape attempt has failed.

Oh, well...William resumes:

"He filled up my empty life. (Apart from sex, cause I'm no poof..)"

Angel and Will:

"Filled it to the brim "

Will:

"There could never ever be

Another one ... like him "

Wow...the horde stares, even Joseph momentarily awed...The sun's rays beginning to strike..

Both vampires vanishing in a burst of energy...

Oh...The horde look at each other...

That was...Just...

Hmmn...Joseph stares...That didn't seem like the usual roasting...

"What the heaven happened? Were they destroyed?"

"Our magics people say no, sir." a humanoid demon sighed to him... "We detected a teleportation spell at 0601, destination England, probably London."

"Shit! The Watchers and that still-not-damned Rosenberg!"

"Sir? The human forces are closing fast! And our scouts report...Argghhh..."

Slayers with them...Joseph filled in for himself, eyeing the reeking corpse with stake in its throat...

"Retreat!"

"Fall back!...Fall...Arrgh..."

London...The restored Antiquarian Hall, home of the restored Royal Council of Antiquarians and Library Scientists...For some reason nicknamed the "Watchers' Council" among its members...

"Angel? Will?" Willow stared at the two bloodied figures now materialized before her and Giles...Who stared at her...Before wearily collapsing to their feet. Though William managed a quick glance about the room...

Not that he expected...Anything...

"William? Are you ok?" Dawn had reached him...

"Nibs...?"

"Why the hell didn't you tell us you could sing?" she grinned... "I was one of your back-up demons, with Willow...The blue-furred one..."

"What about..."

"Your team is fine, Angel...Nina reports Mr. Gunn is safe at LA General." Giles said as Angel managed to sit up...

"But I'm afraid we need your help now with Buffy."

"You...You're sayin' what that bloody Joe said was..." Will began...

"Will?...Come on..." Dawn frowned... "They were lyin'...But she did cut a deal behind our backs with the Immortal...How do you think you survived?."

"Deal?...What deal?"

"How should we know, we only found out when the First took her body as part of it...Go along with the Partners' scheme to separate us from Angel's group in exchange for saving your ass, I suppose...With a slight soul-corrupting catch I doubt she fully agreed to..."

"Though for a singing voice like yours in a lover..." Giles smiled...

"You weren't all there?..." Angel sighed...

"Xander had to go and continue monitoring Buffy...The First thinks she's fooled us by submersing herself in her...But he wanted us to tell you he thought it was beautiful." Willow grinned..

"Immortal Beloved..." CXVIII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (117) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

This one's a single...IB99 and 100 and others are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ?. , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

Rome…Night…

An alleyway…Pitch black…

Following, found, a scent…Racing on with stake out…

They have to pay…

They're gonna pay…

Got one, cornered…She threw aside the trash, boxes…

"No!..." Andrew screamed, blinking at her…

She found herself in red t-shirt and black leather jacket...Facing what seemed to be a jury of masked people, seated in a jury box...One happily smashing open peanut shells on the railing of the box and dropping shells and all into his large mouth, chewing delightedly...

"The accused has sworn to tell all..." a grim, yet...voice called out...

"What?..." She called back, looking first at the jury box, then round...No one in what she took to be the judge's box...

"How do you plead?..." a voice...Woman...Young...Familiar...

"Dawn?..." she called...

Dawn's face briefly appeared under a British judge's wig in the judge's box...As if she'd jumped up to be seen...Sound of feet hitting something hard...

"Pray address this court as Your Nibsness, prisoner..." Dawn's voice...Her head again briefly seen as she hopped up again... "How do you plead?..."

"Plead...?" Buffy stared...

"C'mon sis...Don't keep me here all night..." Dawn's voice, irritated...Then sly...

"You liked it, didn't you?...I know you did..."

"Your Nibsness?...My apologies for being late..." another voice, the doors at the back of the court opening...

"Angel?..." Buffy stared at Angel in robes, a small grayish wig somewhat less than securely on his head...

"You're late!...Ow!" Dawn's voice, a crash midway...As if a heavy object had missed its intended target chair and crashed to the floor in the box...

"LA traffic's a bitch at this time of day, ma'am...But I am here, fresh from the battle for my city, fully prepared to defend my former lover-client..." Angel smiled over to Buffy who nervously stared back...

"Angel?...What the hell's up here?...Is this a dream?...Am I drugged...?"

"Swallow it down...What a jagged little..." Willow, Kennedy, Alanis appear, singing, and vanish...

Angel came over to the witness box...Putting a hand on Buffy's shoulder...She gasped, shrieked, and threw it off...

"Hey...That was all that was left of him, Buf..." Angel frowned at her...Then shrugged... "You could've cloned him or done magic for him from that but no matter...Your Honorable Nibsness..." he turned back to the judge's box...

"Owww..." the reply... "Who moved my chair?..."

"Your Nibsness...I will endeavor to prove by Algebra that my client, Ms. Anne Hathawaytoreturn is her own great-grandmother and loved her neighbor in a selflessly chaste yet excessively Freudian manner...Might I have your Nibsness' kind indulgence to prevent a travesty of justice?"

"The State's...Ow!...Desire is always to arrive..." Crash… "Ow!...Aw, just go ahead!...And somebody get me another chair!..." Dawn called from within her box...

"Angel, what's..." Buffy began...

"Gentlemen and ladies of the jury..." Angel began, waving to cut her off...Holding his now-wriggling wig down on his head with one hand... "I plead for mercy on my client's behalf...She is given to monomania it is true...And abnormal in her desires, all...But what is past, should be past and she bears within an unspotted sweetness of..."

"God..." Drusilla spoke up suddenly from the jury box, pulling off her mask... "Listen to 'im...Tongue like an angel, 'e's got...Silver as the moon...Put 'im up for Parliament and be done with it..."

"Where is he?...Where is my son?..." she looked at Buffy, her voice now richly British, even regal... "What have you done to my only child?..."

"Mrs. Walthrop?..." she stared at the now white-haired, frail lady pointing a stick at her…

"Say nothing…"Angel hissed, a dramatic stage whisper…

"Remove this person…" he called to the empty benches behind them… "She is not wanted here…"

"My son!..." Mrs. Walthrop screamed, demanded… "You whore!...Liar!...I smell him on you!...Thief, murderess!..." Guards materialize and starting dragging her off…

"Yes!..." Drusilla, now beside her in nun's garment… "I can testify…She, the Unclean one!...Pagan harlot!..."

"This sounds bad to me, sis…" Dawn's voice…

"I didn't…" Buffy, still in red and black, but now brunette, pleads… "Dawn, why are you still up?..."

"Such a fine one you are now…" Dru, beside Angel now, dressed in shabby garb of a streetwalker of the 1880's… "Too good for the likes, eh?..."

"What a bloody pair you are…" she grinned to him and cocked a thumb at Buffy…

"I cannot conduct my case like this, Your Nibsness!…" Angel cried… "I must brood upon my existence…"

Broods…Darkness about him like a black halo…

"Oh, God…" a collective sigh through the court…

"Save him from me…" Dru, again in nun's habit, pleads to Buffy, standing before her… "Why didn't you?..."

"I plead the fourth…" Buffy tried, feebly…

"That's for the Yanks…" Dru shook her head… "We're all British here…"

"No longer!…" Angel shouts, fist clenched in the air… "Me native land is free, free!..."

"A bloody foreigner?..." Dawn's voice… "Throw him out of the bleeding court!..."

"I may plead in any court…" Angel insists…Guards in bailiff outfits materializing to seize him… "This toilet tissue, imported from my executive washroom, confirms my status!..." he removes the roll from his briefcase and waves it, as he's dragged to the courtroom door…

"Good enough…Let him be…" Dawn's voice… "But I'll tolerate no bloody talk of Home Rule…And proper respect for our Queen-Empress…Ah, my chair…"

Her head now appears just barely peeping over the rail of the judge's box…Periwigged…Red robe on her shoulders…

"Cicely…Oops…" she paused… "Does the accused accept her counsel?...Another can be appointed..."

"I…" Buffy begins…

Jonathan Levinson in wig rises, materializes at Angel's table… "I am happy to be of service in the matter…" Opens umbrella in left hand, waving it to the jury… "I have known the accused in two lifetimes and…"

"This is my case!..." Angel cries…

"Jonathan?..." Buffy eyes him…

"Miss Addams?...Are you well?..." he politely bows…"My apologies, Mrs. Walthrop, I should say…Hey, I got dumped, forgotten, in a hole so forgive my failure to…"

"I plead for mercy on the grounds of my client's condition!…" Angel hollers…

"She bears the pregnant memory of my old comrade-in-arms…" he explained to Dawn's and Buffy's puzzled looks…

"I thought Giles…" Dawn began…

"Spawn of evil must be purged!..." Giles in Puritan witchcraft trial prosecutor's garb with hat, materializes…Shaking a severed arm at Buffy sternly…

"Don't…" she pleaded… "I mustn't…"

"You can't let this come to light…Trust me, girl…" Giles, in confidential tone…

"A little water clears us of the deed…" he pours water from a pitcher into her lap…

"I should have killed you sooner…" she replies… "Why did I listen to you?..."

"It may start out normal…" he replied, now holding a cooing infant in his arms…

"Then the evil will surface…Put out the light and then put out the light…" he strangles the baby in his arms…

"I couldn't face him…" Buffy turns to Jonathan… "How could I tell him?..."

"Can we have that last testimony repeated?..." Dawn asked…

The First, blonde Buffy looking severe in court recorder's outfit, eyes Dawn…

"From that insult to my sister…" Dawn notes…

"With pleas..." The First repeats the testimony…Taking the form of each person…

"Giles: 'Spawn of evil must be purged!'…"

"Buffy: 'Don't…I mustn't…'"

"Giles: 'You can't let this come to light…'" "Stop there…" Dawn cut her off…

"I charge by the character, remember that..." the First vanishes...

"This sounds like a conspiracy…" Solemn Justice Summers notes solemnly…

"Were you both in on it?..." she asked Buffy, then Giles…

Neither responds…Giles looking everywhere but at Dawn, Buffy confused, trying to think… "I…"

"In short, who…killed…my…sister?..." Dawn in Wicked Witch of the West costume from her box…

"Sister?...No...I…I didn't want to…" Buffy stared at the jury box… "Giles said..."

"The guy was just too overpowering for you, eh?..." Dawn, back to judge's outfit…

Giles, looking full of Ripper menace... "Do it, you stupid blonde bitch's dam..."

"He…Please…" Buffy looked round... "Tell me what this is all about?...I don't understand…"

"God…" Dru guffaws…In streetwalker outfit in her seat in the jury box… "What a bloody liar…"

"Guilty as the day is long…" Dawn frowns, banging gavel, with a nod to Angel… "If I may borrow one of your land's many quaint sayings…"

"With stereotypically jovial Gaelic pleasure, Your Nibsness…" gallant bow from Angel…

"Mr. Levinson?..." Dawn addresses the seated Jonathan who is reading a comic book stuffed in a large folder of papers...

"I must apologize your Honorable Nibsness...I need to finish acquainting myself with the facts of the case..." he waves the folder...Several colorful comics falling out to the floor...

"What say you, jury…?"

"Crucify her!...Crucify her!..."

"I know I wash my hands of her..." Dawn sighs from her box...

"Dawn?..." Buffy...

"Yeah, Ma?..." Dawn eyes a desperate-looking Buffy...

"Crucifixion?...But..." Angel frowns... "Everybody knows...I...Prophecy...And my opening..."

Cut to shot of "Angel" opening...Faces uplifted as if beseeching Heaven...Saintly Angel face appears, brooding solemnly...Courtroom reappears...

"See...All point... "

Disembodied voice... "Bloody weak imitation of Christ..."

Buffy, the reappeared First, Mrs. Walthrop, Drusilla in nun's habit...Together:

"William!..."

Angel dons crown of thorns in hand...Guards in Roman centurion's uniforms appear, bearing large cross...

"My ma is so looking forward to this..." he notes proudly...The soldiers lay cross down and he lies upon it...They nail his hands and feet...

The disembodied voice:

"Nothing you can't see every Easter in the Phillippines..."

"William?...Avant, come forth!..." Buffy tries, desperately... "What the hell am I supposed to say?...God, why did I..." whisper, inaudible... "that moron Andrew..."

"...Kill..." the First repeats, loudly, from the middle of the courtroom...A sweet smile to Buffy, she vanishes...

"Inadmissible...If I may continue my defense..." Angel speaks from the cross...Now stood erect by the soldiers...

"Blasphemy!..." Giles waves arms at Angel on his cross... "Add it to the charges!...He can't be trusted anymore, Buffy...He's gone over...Ask my girlfriend over there..."

"Which of us?..." Jenny and Olivia, Siamese twins rise from the courtroom benches and stare at him...

"Buffy?..." Cicely in dock where Buffy had stood, but dressed in same red T-shirt and leather jacket blinks at him...

"A clever dodge...But the State will prove..." Giles began...

"The Council is not yet running the world, sir!..." Cicely yells...Now in antique dress... "You can't force me to stay!...We'll run, if we have to...!"

"Liar!...You agreed!..." Giles frowns...

"I thought he was gone..." Buffy, back to blonde and again in Spikean dress... "If I'd known..."

Her face hardens...

"If this is for...What I did..." she pauses, eyeing Dawn in her robes...

"What did you do, sis?..." Dawn asks, not unkindly...

"This answer your question?..." Andrew appears...A large tag marked 'Exhibit A' stapled to his chest...A large, blood-soaked wound in his chest...

"I don't think you can call that one an accident, Miss. Summers..." Dawn notes... "But frankly, Andy...We don't give a damn..."

"Murder most..." Giles begins, pauses...Looking apprehensive...

"You oughta know..." Ben appears and disappears...

"It's the other that concerns us...Family affairs..." Dawn continues...

"A minor case of strangulation..." Giles waves a hand... "Not that I took offense on a personal level..." He sticks out a black tongue, rolls eyes...The courtroom bursts into applause at his splendid rendering...

"...But Justice must be served..."

"...With tea and lemon..." disembodied voice...

"Like we care, Watcher..." Dawn frowns... "I woulda helped her if I were there..."

Buffy...Evasive... "There's nothing else...I..."

"Whatda pal..." Willow reappears...Head flopping to indicate broken neck...Kennedy beside her with bleeding head...

"'Please Willow...You can't tell Giles...I'll deal...'..." Willow mimics...

"If you'd helped..." Buffy glares...

"Some times the best thing a friend can do is say, no..." Willow says, solemnly...

"...'No'...And 'Giles, guess what Buffy's planning...?'..." Buffy says, with scorn...

"How was your astral plane tour, Willow?..." Giles asks, pleasantly...

"Involuntary...But ok..." she nods...

"Yes...So I gathered..." he replies... "Naturally I had to believe her...Did she really send you off on her lonesome?..."

"Only to Stasis...After we had ourselves a little spat..."

"She was fine...Still breathing..." Buffy insists... "I've seen worse...I've been worse...Soon as

I took care of everything, I'd''ve brought her home and gotten the best physical therapy money and/or magics could..."

"Like she helped Amy...Soon as she could...When she had free time..."

Willow glares, disappears...

"This is all circumstantial testimony..." Jonathan rises...

"That always sounds good on TV..." Angel nods from his cross...

"My client..." Jonathan sticks thumbs in his robe under armpits... "Has an impeccable record of service..."

"Yadda, yadda, yadda..." Dawn makes rolling gesture with hands... "Lets get on with the execution...She's obviously guilty..."

"Yeah, but..." Jonathan pauses...

"Hah! Britain takes the Cup!..Right!..." Giles pounds one hand into the other...

Ow!...Angel glares at the prosecutor pounding his nailed hand...

"But...You said..." Buffy eyes Dawn...

"I'd hardly have Giles prosecute his own murder, Miss Summers..." Justice Dawn formally notes...

"About time someone gave..." Andrew reappears...All frown at his bloodied corpse...

"Yeah, right..." Dawn sneers...

"I care, Andy..." the First, biting lip nervously, insists...Beaming cow's eyes...

"But Willow...Call her...I didn't ..." Buffy tries...Eyes avoiding...

"Not Willow either, Mom..." Dawn frowns...Then softens..."Mommy...Why did you do it?..."

"I...I thought he was gone..." Buffy, sobbing...Shakes head... "I was afraid...And Giles said..."

"Right..." Giles, rolling eyes... "Always the surrogate parent's fault...Now suppose we move along and let Justice take its course...I have a Chairman/CEO's golf tournament with Bill Gates and Dick Cheney...Oops...er, former CEO, Cheney...At four..."

"Ok...For the high crime of which the accused is charged...Off with her whatever..." Dawn nods... "Monkey-men...?"

Xander as flying monkey-man a'la Wizard of Oz appears leading a group of the same...

"Chop-chop...Literally..." she waves to Buffy...

William appears...Decked in 14th century Italian outfit as Dante Alighieri...Reads as the shocked courtroom group stares at him:

"Ahem...'...Such had this man become in his new life

Potentially, that every righteous habit

Would have made admirable proof in him;

But so much more malignant and more savage

Becomes the land untilled and with bad seed,

The more good earthly vigour it possesses.

Some time did I sustain him with my look;

Revealing unto him my youthful eyes,

I led him with me turned in the right way.

As soon as ever of my second age

I was upon the threshold and changed life,

Himself from me he took and gave to others.

When from the flesh to spirit I ascended,

And beauty and virtue were in me increased,

I was to him less dear and less delightful;

And into ways untrue he turned his steps,

Pursuing the false images of good,

That never any promises fulfil;

Nor prayer for inspiration me availed,

By means of which in dreams and otherwise

I called him back, so little did he heed them.

So low he fell, that all appliances

For his salvation were already short,

Save showing him the people of perdition.

For this I visited the gates of death,

And unto him, who so far up has led him,

My intercessions were with weeping borne'..."

(Purgatorio, The Divine Comedy, Dante Alighieri...)

"And I am grateful, Beatrice, my love..." he smiles...Buffy gazing at him...

"William..." she whispers...As he vanishes...

Dawn, whispering... "Daddy..." She blinks and sits upright in her robes...Head still barely peeping...

"Did I say we were in recess?...Move it, Xander...Or, rather...Remove it..."

Xander nods, two fellow monkey-men grabbing Buffy...He swings a large sword, severing her head...Holds it up...

"Now that's gotta hurt..." Angel notes from his cross...

"Cruel and inhumane punishment...Right...That's my motto..." Giles nods firmly...

"Let me file a protest on behalf of my client..." Jonathan insists...

"Oh, right...Show me up...You damned Brit bastard!..." Angel cries...

"Only in my first life..." Jonathan shakes head...

"Will you please?...My head is splitting..." Buffy's head calls... "Could someone please get these monkey paws off my face..."

"The prisoner is allowed to take her own custody on her own recognizance..." Dawn nods...Xander deposits the severed head into Buffy's hands...

"Stop poking me, idiot..." Buffy's head tells her hands...

"Poor creature..." a voice murmured sympathetically...

The eyes of her severed head looked up to see the slightly puffy, kindly, reasonably handsome if weary face of a dark-haired but slightly graying fortyish man of medium height in rather old-fashioned clothes staring down at her...

"Pardon the intrusion on so solemn...Very distressed to disturb...Only the most serious desire to be of assistance...My card..." he offered a card to her, politely holding it a few inches from her face for some time.

"Leopold Bloom, Pub. Can. Friend of Man At Large..." the card read...

"Don't trust him..." a tall, old fellow in a macintosh from a bench in back hopped up and shook a finger at her... "He's a regular low cad...When in Flower he goes by the name..." the man pinched a portion of his macintosh...

"Only to ease an aching heart..A harmless fancy..." Mr. Bloom, sighing sadly...

"Bloom, is it you, old lad?..." disembodied voice...

"Why, Mr. Walthrop?...Is that you, sir?...I've not had the pleasure since you and Mr. S. Daedalus and I tripped about Nighttown in '04, sir..." Bloom calls to the air...

"Who are you and how did you get..." Dawn begins...

"Oh, rocks..." a female disembodied voice and Drusilla, in streetwalker's outfit, together... "Now you've done it..."

Bloom, beaming... "My card, your Honor..." Hands card to guard by Angel...

Dramatic pause...

"By metempsychosis..."

"Great-grandpapa?..." Willow reappears, blinking at Bloom, head still flopping...

"Millie Jr...?" Bloom stares... "Such flaming hair...Such poor muscle control...Consult Wedicume's Wonder Worker...Strengthens the muscles of the spine, neck, and lower back..."

"Willow..." Willow corrects... "Ira's daughter..."

"Willow...You never told me you were a sister..." Angel stares...

"Great-grandpapli...Look what she did to me?...Don't take her side..." Willow pleads...

"Love and forgiveness, my girl..." Bloom says, kindly... "There's no other life for men and women..."

He turns to Buffy's head in her hands...

"Mrs. Walthrop...Tell us, please, darling girl...In your own words..."

"Giles said..." she begins...

Bloom eyes her...A sad, kind look...

"Always back on me..." Giles frowns... "Well, I'm dead and I've done paid my dues..."

"Yes...What did he say?..."

"Hey, she already has excellent counsel..." Angel calls, fuming a bit...

"It...It might be...It still could turn out..." she tries...

"Did you believe that...?" Leopold eyes her...

"I have to say...I do like how kind he always is to servants and old folks and the like..." Molly Bloom, she of the bounteous bosoms, to Drusilla in the jury box... "I was happy enough to see Leo, Jr. had dark eyes...Things were better after that, you see...And how that Blazes looked when it was sure not his, after he'd gone up and down smirking all over town about it..."

"I didn't know..." Buffy sighs... "I wanted to try...For him...But...I was all alone..."

"Right..." Dawn mutters..."Don't mind me, I don't exist..."

"I ran away to Rome...Just Dawn and me..."

"Always nice to be remembered in your memoirs, Mom..." Dawn flashed a grim little smile...

"I was going to try, I wanted to...But...God, I was so afraid...I missed him so much...I thought...I even thought..."

"Yes..." Bloom nods kindly... "We all have such thoughts from time to time...I suggest a vigorous yet leisurely course of walking...Clears the mind, frees the soul...or perhaps, setting-up exercises..."

"Of course he couldn't kill him that night..." Molly nods to the whispering Dru... "Poldy is the real thing Messiahwise...He just went and got the Second Coming wrong, the way he gets all those thngs he knows mixed-up in that brain of his...Had to reset the clock..." Listens to Dru's whispered comment...

"Well, how do you expect He'd respond to His wife's being an adulteress?..." Molly glares... "He turned the other cheek of course...It was only the one time I went all the way, after all..."

"Did I really kill them?..." Buffy, dodging...

"Maybe you did...Maybe you will...If you don't get things right with yourself..." Bloom pats the head gently...

"I never blamed William..." she tries... "Even after I found out...That he didn't come...But I was so ashamed...How could I face him and tell...And now, cause I couldn't face him..."

"I begged you not to, Mother..." Dawn notes quietly... "Didn't I beg you to wait?...See?..."

"Buffy...Oh, poor child..." Bloom sighs... "Believe me, girl...I know what it is to suffer this way..."

"Yes..." Molly from her seat, tears... "For so long...I thought it would never be the same..."

"You didn't..." Buffy begins...

"Mr. Angel?..." Bloom looks to Angel... "Since you insist on impersonating me...Would you and your associate do the honors...?"

Angel nods, Jonathan nods...Both smile gently at Buffy's head...

"He proves by Algebra that Hamlet's ghost..." Jonathan begins...

William in Hamlet costume appears...Scowling a bit...

"Ruddy poof outfit..." he fumes...

"...Is Shakespeare..." Angel smiles...Ow...

"Those things are a bitch..." Bloom nods sympathetically...

William, bald...In sixteenth century dress...Quill pen in hand...

"Willum..." Anne Hathaway, head reattached, stares at her beloved...

"And...That the Queen is..." Angel continues...

"Born in 1857..." Jonathan grins...

Cicely's head, severed again, stares at them...

"And...1981..." Angel notes...

"...Proving conclusively...If my colleague's existence didn't..." Jonathan...

"...That the soul never dies..." both...

"And just as Amelia Dawn lives and like Perdita was again found by her parents..." Bloom concludes...Smiling over to Dawn...

"And William was saved by his wife's love as Dante dreamed Beatrice would save him..."

"So Joyce Elisabeth waits to be reborn.."

"And said husband..." William chimes in...Taking and setting Buffy's head on her shoulders...

"Never gives up...And neither do you..." he smiles...Bloom nods...

She blinked at Andrew's terrified face...

"I didn't..." he begged... "Buffy, the Immortal has lied to you...We didn't plan this...You're not thinking ration..."

"What time is it?..." she asked him...He stared...

She lowered the stake... "In LA, what time...?"

"Four am, I think...Five, maybe..." he calmed slightly...She seemed a hair...

But then anything was better than when the Immortal had dropped her off, raving lunacy about killing them all...For killing William and her baby...

Though, true...Chairman Giles had pushed for that abortion in September...And Dawn certainly was bitter about it...But the Slayer'd seemed to have accepted it as the right choice...

However...Holding him here at stake point for the night after Dawn managed to slip out, ranting on about...

Well, Giles would be impressed that she'd read Dante...

...Didn't quite seem as though she'd quite gotten over it as well as they'd thought...

God...To think the Immortal was spending all this time not dating her, but getting her all worked up over another guy...

Seems I still lack a little something in my ability to fully perceive character flaws...

Hmmn...Evil, yes...But undoubtedly dedicated to his goal...Must be the immortality develops patience...

Say?...Magics were 'dirty'...But drugs and mental reprogramming ok?...

"Alright..." she sighed...Damn it...I could never get Willow patched up fast enough now even if I could pull her out of stasis in time...

"Have you got your phone?..."

He nervously fumbled...Handed her the phone...

"Giles?...Yeah, I'm better...But I am still gonna kill you and every Watcher and Slayer I meet if you don't get me and every Slayer in the US now to LA...Andy can vouch that I'm not fully outta my head now, right Andy?..."

"She's a little better!..." he hollered...

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Immortal Beloved..." CXIX...

PG 13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down! It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (119) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

This one's a single...IB99 and 100 and others are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

LA...Set of "Ugly Betty"...

This week Nathan Lane being guest star, naturally it's the musical episode...

"Ok...Look, I cannot do this..." "Betty" in self-defined 'nice work outfit', braces proudly prominent, throws up hands... "I'm sorry Mr. Lane..." nod to Mr. Lane standing by "Henry" -Mode magazine junior accountant and would-be object of her affection... "But I don't sing...I take call, I type, I run Daniel's errands and even make excuses to his girlfriends..."

"Oh?..." Lane eyes said "Daniel"...Who tries to look casual...His "sister Alexis" beside him grinning...

"But I don't...Sing..."

"I sing!..." "Mark", pixie-ish minion of the evil Wilhelmina, eagerly pushing in...

"Great...When I need another Broderick, I'll call you..." Lane brushes him off...He returns to "Betty"...

"Betty...Darling...It's simple..." he pats her shoulder... "You just imagine yourself in the shower...You sing in the shower...We all sing in the shower...My career started in the shower..."

"No, I don't..." "Betty" nervously waves hands... "Uh...Not since my family asked me to stop..."

"Do it for Nathan, Betty..." Lane nudges her... "And for Henry our Bloom stand-in here who can't seem to take his eyes off you..."

Sudden crash from behind stage set momentarily startles and interrupts the cast but the shooting resumes quickly...Several people quietly coming in from round the back, avoiding the shooting area...

"The new girl..." an assistant barely hisses to the director who sighs briefly...

"Ummn..." "Henry" pushes glasses back, trying to help "Betty" at her pleading glance... "I was getting...Some information from her..."

"Uh-huh...Well then, lets just say..." Imperious look from Mr. Lane... "I'm Nathan Lane, king of Broadway...Guest of your employers and if I want you to sing with me...You sing!..."

"Uh..."

"Now if Betty doesn't want to..." "Daniel" cautiously tries a rescue...

"Sing!..." Lane imperiously stamps foot...

"Ok, cut..." the director calls...All pause...

"Lets bring in our stand-in for Betty to run the number while America changes for the dream sequence...Ok..."

"I can do the run-through..." Ms. Ferrara frowns...As a short, slight young woman in brunette wig steps forward...

She's new...Hmmn...Familiar somehow... "Henry" thinks...

The director steps over to Ms. Ferrara, whispering...

"Ok, ok..." she pouts a bit but heads off, turning back to narrowly glare at her new stand-in a moment...Said stand-in flashing nervous smile...Uh...

"What's with our sweet angel..."..." "Daniel" now off-camera, whispering to "Mark"... Who shrugs...

"Right, now lets do this from the start of the dream sequence song...Henry, forward..."

"Henry" steps to the front of the stage...The stand-in behind him, watching him...

"Ok...And begin..."

"Henry", staring out at imagined audience:

"The urge to merge can rob us of our senses...The need to breed can make a man a drone...

We must be on alert with our defenses...For every skirt will test...Testosterone..."

(The kid is good...Lane notes quietly to the director..."Broderick took a year to get the song down pat...")

"So knowing this, I severed all connection...With any creature sporting silk or lace...

I was firmly headed in the right direction...

When suddenly I stumbled on...

That face...

That face...That face...That fabulous face...I mustn't be unwise...

Those lips, those nose, those eyes...Could lead to my demise...

That face...That face...That wonderful face...I really must beware...

I'm certain if I fall in Love, I'm lost without a trace...But it's worth it for that face..."

Shy smile...Though perhaps something behind it...

"That face...That face...That marvelous face...

I never should begin...

Those cheeks, that neck, that chin...Will surely do me in...

I must be smart...And hide my heart...If she's within a mile..."

"Is he seeing anybody?..." "Angela" hisses to "Mark"...Who shrugs...

"Man's a complete loner after work, I hear...Always has to get home right away to take care of his son, he says..."

Oh.

"Un...married, that much I do know..."

"Oh..." bright smile..."Say, what's with the new stand-in?..." Narrow look at stand-in eyeing "Henry" intently from her spot...

"Relative of somebody, I think..." another shrug from "Mark"...

Hmmn... "Henry" brushes away a sudden nervous sensation...Fortunately not missing a beat...

"If I don't duck...I'm out of luck...She'll kill me with her smile..."

The stand-in staring at him from the edge of the desk she's been positioned at...Blinking apologetically as the director waves to her...And flashing smile to camera as she rises and halts in place, stumbles a bit ...

"That face, that face...That fabulous face...It's clear I must beware...I'm certain if I fall in love...I'm lost without a trace...

But it's worth it...For that..."

Crash as the stand-in rushes over to him, grabbing him from behind... Cast members, staff looking at each other...Several grabbing for cell phones, most checking for previously noted safe hiding locations, this sort of thing not being all that rare in series television...

"William, William!...Oh, William!..." fervent kisses...

"Who the hell's William?..." Lane asks the shrugging director who standing, claps for quiet...

"What's going on here?..."

"Buffy?..." "Henry" struggles to pull himself to his feet...Sheepish look to director and Lane, both frowning...Buffy, her wig askew, holding him tightly, kissing...

"I knew it was you!...First time I saw "Henry" on the show..." she babbled, kissing... "Giles wouldn't let Andy tell me about you...Then when Andy burst out crying when we thought Angel and his guys were gonna be wiped out and told me, and I forced him to send all the Slayers round to you, he lied to me, said you'd been destroyed by the Partners...Oh, why didn't you see me that night in Rome?..."

"This is classic..." Lane chucked at the pair, slapping thigh... "Kid, I've seen desperate attempts to break in but this one tops 'em all, except one I pulled once..."

"Is this in the script?...When did he get a dual role?..." from his chair "Mark" hissed to his sometime on-screen partner and occasional 'beard', "Angela" who was thumbing hastily... "I don't see any 'William'...What the hell's up?...They know each other?..." she hisses...A defeated look settling...

"You gotta believe me, William...I love you..." Buffy hugged the squirming William...

"Somebody know what's going on?" 'Daniel' asked several cast members... "Is this another script change nobody told me about?..."

"Yeah, yeah very nice...Can we hold the improv and get back to work, please?...Ms. Summers?... "Henry"?..." the director fumed...

Things I do to destroy my artistic career as a member of the Council... he sighed...Still, when the Slayer Counselor General tells you she wants work on your series as a stand-in...

Or else...

"Buffy...I am workin' here..." William hissed...

"So am I..." she noted... "Sorry, we're old friends...The song got to me...I'm ok now..." she called...

"Great...Can you manage the finish so we can move on to the next scene?..."

"I think..." "Alexis" noted carefully to "Mark" and "Angela"... "They know each other..."

"Brilliant...Who cares?...The cleaning lady knows the junior grip..."

"Angela" fumed back...

"Quiet!..." the director called...

"I wanna know where they get off with that little soap opera bit in front of Mr. Lane..." "Mark" continued...

"Yeah..." "Daniel" joined in... "If any of us pulled that..."

"SHUTUP!" William/ "Henry" cried...All staring at him...

"Go on, miss..." he told Buffy, giving her a quiet smile...Which was returned...

"Presence...I like that..." Lane noted to the director...

"That face, that face...That lovable face...It melts my Slayer heart..."

"Slayer?...Is that right?..." "Daniel" looked round... "I've read "That Face" top to bottom for when I do Leo in summer stock this August and I've never seen 'Slayer' in there..."

"I'm certain if I fall in love...I'm lost without a trace..."

"Henry" and Buffy:

"But it's worth it for...

That face..."

(Hmmn..."That's new...I like it..." Lane nods to the stunned director... Oh?...Well, if Nathan Lane says it's good...)

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"Immortal Beloved..." CXX...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (120) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series

LA...Midst of battle as a vast, mostly lumbering horde of creatures somewhat other than human in general appearance tries to regroup and find its rather relatively tiny target in the muddle and confusion of its repeated botched charges...

"Hang on a sec...They've fallen back..."

"Yeah...Say that Marcus bloke's blood is something...We're tearing them to shreds...We keep this up and we might actually unlive through this thing..."

"Please...They're mostly trampling and killing each other...Half of them can't recognize a fellow demon from a lamp post...The rest don't care what they kill...Just try and keep 'em busy till Illyria's had enough time to get Charlie back...You ok?..."

"What's that supposed to mean?..."

"Spike, I only count three limbs on you..."

"The other arm's around here somewhere, I'll find it later...I'm holdin' my own up, poof...Just stop trying to protect that precious hair for Ms. Nina and join the party..."

"Is a whale of a time..." broad grin...

"That it is... Say...The boys and girls seem to be thinking it over..." wave at where the nearest part of the horde was now trying to sort itself into some kind of attack order...

"Should be a while..."

"And barely two hours till dawn...This is a piece of cake..."

"Uh-huh..." grin... "You did see me nail..."

"Yeah, for the fifth time...I saw...It was lovely...Though how one could help but hit a thirty-foot dragon from six feet..."

"Hey...I killed it with two hits..."

"Some of us could've done it with one...Spared the poor thing a little agony..."

"Shut up..."

"Tell me you didn't have that bloke with the red horns take a picture..."

"It was for the record..."

"Oh, please..."

"They're nearly ready to try again..." point to where the horde had managed to assume a vague kind of formation...A number more preoccupied with dining on their wounded or dead comrades...Several apparent leaders trying to beat or kill their way to establishing order...

"Well, we'll lead 'em a merry chase...Ummn...You haven't seen...Anything...?"

"No, not yet...Will, I don't want to be a bearer of bad tidings, but..."

"I'm not expectin' her, Angel...Just would be nice if the Council remembered a couple of Saviors of Humanity and dispatched a few Slayers our way...You know what we need for this one...?"

"I saw a burned-out bar back there..." point...

"No...Well, yeah, a pint or some whiskey'd be nice...But I mean a fight song..."

"A what?..."

"We need a good fight song...Get the spirits...And we the soul boys got em...And that Marcus blood up..."

"Are you out of..."

"Best to get movin'..." wave at the now charging mass... "Yeah..."

Pant... "Any ideas?..." "Lets try back through the alley there..."

"Ok, throw those barrels down...Good...They'll be channeled down here to a six-thing line..."

"I meant about the song..."

"Spike!..."

"Hmmn?...Oh..." turns to ram a long pole in his remaining hand into a huge gray cross between a giant armadillo and ten foot hedgehog...Angel despatching the driver... "Thanks...Now, I'd say a good ole Irish ballad..." Pulls a sheet from his pocket...

Hmmn...? "You brought the lyrics with you?..."

"For the Big One?...Natch... 'Sides, after I got Will, Jr. settled at Miss Nina's before I went to the poetry slam I had some time on my hands..."

Stares at sheet in his hands...Spike?...

Wait... 'Will, Jr.?'...

"'The Spanish Lady'?...Spike?...What kind of fight song is that?..."

"The best kind, mate...For two idiot romantics..." grin...

Which after a moment's stare was returned...

"All set?...You start..." "Hell, you wanted to do this, you start." "I like this, I show a little friendly feeling...I could've chosen an English song, ya know." "Spike?" "Yeah?" "Duck!"

Whizz of hard-thrown battleaxe...Sound of thud of said axe burying itself into the wrong Undead target, accompanied by scream of pain and howl of rage... "Thanks?" "For what, poof?...I saw it. So?..." "I still don't see what we need a fight song for..." "And you call yourself a expatriate IrishUnman?"

"The Spanish Lady..."

"As I went down to Dublin city,

At the hour of twelve at night,

Who should I see but a Spanish lady,

Washing her feet by candlelight.

First she washed them, then she dried them

Over a fire of amber coal,

In all my life I ne'er did see

A maid so sweet about the soul..."

CHORUS:

"Whack (Arggh!...Accompanying screams of several 'whacked' creatures, the massed line of demons, falling back a moment...) fol the toora, toora laddyWhack (Sound of poles skewering several in the front line, more screams...) fol the foora loora lay..."

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay..."

("We have them, charge them, kill them, you dolts!..." cry of demonic Senior Partner Joseph, bald, lizard-eyed little nearly human-looking fellow, in remarkably crisp suit, from the third row line..."What the hell?...Are they singing?..." he turns to a junior commander...)

"As I came back through Dublin city

At the hour of half past eight..". (Ahhhhh...Arghh...A huge blue furball of a creature is thrown back upon the front line...)

"Who should I spy but the Spanish lady

Brushing her hair in the broad daylight.

First she tossed it, then she brushed it,

On her lap was a silver comb

In all my life I ne'er did see

A maid so fair since I did roam..."

("You cowardly...! We outnumber them five thousand to...!" Joseph hollers at the paralyzed force before him, holding now in front of Angel's and William's flimsy barricade of barrels and trash...Hum...He falls back a bit as some flaming wreckage is hurled his way by Angel...)

CHORUS:

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay..."

("Hey they're good..." one in the front rank notes to a likewise,greenish, six-foot insectlike comrade... "Not bad..." his fellow shrugs...Both turning to force a panicky way back through the mass as the barrels, now burning with gas siphoned by Spike from several destroyed cars, roll their way...)

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay..."

("Oh, demon Lord..." Joseph sighs, head in hands, as the huge massive wedge of Demonity stumbles back in panic...A good part of the front row screaming and on fire... "Sir?..." "What now, Winthrop?..." he stares at his junior... "Sir, we've a report..." Hideous screams from the far rear of the demon mass... "What the Hell is...?" "Sir, I think they've got reinforcements coming on our rear..." "What?...What reinforcements?...Angel's kid and that broken-down wreck of an ex-demon queen?...Tell the fellas in the rear to get some guts and..." )

"I stopped to look but the watchman passed says he "young fella now the night is late

Along with you now or I will wrestle you

Straight way throught the Bride-well Gate"..."

("And there they go...!" Spike hollers... "Not quite...!" Angel points to a number of monkey-like things crawling along the walls of the buildings in the alley...)

"I blew a kiss to the Spanish Lady

Hot as a fire of angry coals

In all my life I ne'er did see a maid so sweet about the soul..."

CHORUS:

"Whack (Hideous monkeylike squeal...) fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay..."

("Sir...?" "What?..." Joseph turns to call to another commander... "Damnit...Get those monkey boys some support!...The only fellas in our whole army with a few balls between...What?...What more to make this the worse night of Demonity's existence?..." "Sir, we think it's more than Angel's son and Illyria advancing on our rear...")

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy ("Hang in there, poof..." Arhhhhh...Another monkey creature falls to its death from Spike's spear hit... "...they're ready to run..." Dozens of the monkey creatures now charging across the walls of the buildings... "Uh-huh...Spike, time to fall back..." "Just a mo, poof...")

"Whack fol the foora loora lay..." (Spike skewers two flying monkeys as they bear down... "Didn't think they had more air support...Guess we'd best pull back a bit...")

"As I went out through Dublin City as the hour of dawn was nigh

Who should I see but the Spanish Lady

I was lonely and want to sigh

First she coaxed me then she chid me

Then she laughed at my sad plight

In all my life I ne'er did see a maid so sweet as on that night..."

("Holy Christ..." Spike stares at the figure now regarding him with a grin from the top of the nearest alley building to the left from which several monkey creatures poised for a swoop now fell dead... "Holy shit!..." Joseph in his ranks stares at the figures now appearing along the building roofs...His own creatures falling from the walls as a rain of stakes pour down... "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph..." Angel stares... "Hey, watch it, girls!..." "Hold it, ladies!...Hey, you blonde twerp!...You better damn well still be in one piece!...Say, great song, guys!..." Buffy calls...)

CHORUS: (remarkably louder now...)

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay

Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay..."

("Sir...? Why are we singing?..." "Shut up and sing, all of you...They won't kill us if we've surrendered and joined their Chorus..." Joseph hisses...)

"I've wandered north and I've wandered south through Stoneybatter and Patrick's Close

Up and around by the Gloucester Diamond

Round by Napper Tandy's house

("Who the bloody blazes...?" "How would I know? I only visited Dublin once when I was ten...")

Old age has laid her hand on me

Cold as fire of ashey coals

But where, oh where, is my Summers Lady, neat and sweet about the soul?"

("Damn it, poof, did you say 'Summers' at that last?...Did you know all the time she was comin'?" "Who, me?" Hard stare... "Well, maybe Giles did say he'd think things over when I called him the other day..." grin...

"Fellas!..." Hug for Angel...

"Ow!...Hey?..." William rubs remaining arm...

"Jerk...Keepin' me hanging all year...Say...Oh, my God?...Will, where the hell's your...?..."

"Eh...It's around here, somewhere..."

"Angel?..You promised to watch out for him, damnit!...You swore if I kept to your plan and waited till we got the Immortal and his Partners out in the open..."

"You did what?..."

"Heh...Well, it all worked out right?...Hey, there's still one more verse..")

CHORUS

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay

Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay."

("Guys...Will, did you write that?..." eager beam...

"He certainly did...'The Summers' Lady' , he calls it..." Angel nods solemnly...Will giving him a...

"Oh, Will...That's beautiful...You really are a jackass, you know...Rome and making me wait so long and all, I mean...But that's beautiful...And I suppose it was all Angel's and Giles' fault, them and their 'big plan'..."

Uh...Angel eyes the glaring faces...

"Anyway, it's beautiful...Like that poem you wrote for me..." she beamed again...

"Ummn...? Thanks...Just an adaptation, really...Poem?..."

"'To Cicely', stupid...Geesh, Angel?...Didn't you tell him about the Watcher archives?..."

"Must've slipped my mind in all the confusion these last days...Cicely..." he eyes her... "How's about one more verse?...Spike?...Spike?..."

"Will?...You ok, honey?...William?...Oh, geesh...Great way to tell him, Angel..." she holds the limp Will in her arms...)

CHORUS

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay

Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay."

("Will you guys shut up and somebody get me some water?..." Buffy calls...)

"First she coaxed me then she chid me

Then she laughed at my sad plight

In all my life I ne'er did see a maid so sweet as on that night..."

CHORUS

"Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay

Whack fol the toora, toora laddy

Whack fol the foora loora lay."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXI...

PG-13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (121) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

This one's a single...IB99 and 100 are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

LA...Night...

"She's not coming, William...She knows about you and couldn't care less...Neither for you or poor ole Angel..."

He said nothing...Ignoring the slight blonde, occasionally flickering, form taunting him to continuing swinging at the charging masses before him...The immediate horde to his front staggering back on their own ranks in shocked panic at his furious slashes...That super blood really is everything ole Angel said it was, he noted to himself...She watching...

"You think I'm lying...Where is she, then?...Andrew must've told her...William...It's all pointless...She doesn't care...She never did..."

"Girl..." he sighed... "Whether all you're saying is a lie or no, it doesn't matter...She's not obliged to me...Though ole Angel would have appreciated her showin'...I'm sorry..."

"He'll be past 'sorry' quick enough..." she sneered, indicating the reforming horde before them...

"No..." he shook his head... "I'm sorry for you...To never have the ability to love, let alone unselfishly...It must be terrible, seeing even weak excuses like the Brooding One and me manage it while you watch, unable to feel it in the slightest way, forever...You can never understand that joy, that glory...And so I'm sorry for you..."

A sudden wave of energy radiating outward from her...The horde suddenly flattened before him...

"Teach me..." she begged...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXII...

PG 13

Disclaimer: No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (122) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...This one's a single...IB99 and 100 and others are multipart...(parts alphabetically listed)...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

"Michael Henchard's Will…"

"'That Elizabeth-Jane Farfrae be not told of my death, or made to grieve on account of me.

& that I not be bury'd in consecrated ground.

& that no sexton be asked to toll the bell.

& that nobody is wished to see my dead body,

& that no murners walk behind me at my funeral.

& that no flours be planted on my grave.

& that no man remember me.

To this I put my name.'

'Michael Henchard'"

(From "The Mayor of Casterbridge", 1886, Thomas Hardy)

"Buffy?..." Giles stared at her frozen face as she looked up from the book she'd plucked from his library shelf while waiting… Startled, but noting the cover of the book, he'd begun a smile and was putting together a witty, light tease in his mind when he saw Cicely's pendant necklace from the Watcher archives swinging from her tense, white neck…

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXIII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (123) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

"Buffy..." a sigh...Staring at the young woman seated at table, holding...Clutching the box stolen from the secret vaults...

"Why did you do this?..."

"Is it true?..." she asked...

Giles shook his head...But not in negation, she realized...

"Giles, is what Henri told me true?..." she said, slowly but grimly...

"Was William..." she paused... "Is he...?"

"Buffy, whatever the Immortal told you...Or that you have found here in the archives...William the Bloody is destroyed...And William Walthrop is long dead..."

"Then it's true, isn't it?...He was my husband...And you..."

"I did what I had to do to protect you...Spike couldn't be..."

"Liar..." she said softly... "Liar...You knew he had his soul back...That's why you tried to kill him before...You never tried to kill William the Bloody...But William Soames Walthrop...He had to die, right?...Otherwise, I might have...You bastard..."

"Buffy, we had a duty...Both of us...Humanity had to be..."

"My name is Cicely...Cicely Walthrop...And you knew it, didn't you, you liar?...You murderer..." she stood in front of him...Face grim, set, and cold...

"I didn't kill him, Buffy..."

"You told Andrew not to tell me...You wanted him dead..."

"He was a demon, Buffy...Soul or..."

She was ready to, he realized...Tensing for the blow...But suddenly she relaxed a bit and slowly sat down, lightly touching the dusty ole book of poetry and the packet of stolen century-plus old letters carefully wrapped in the box on the table...Looking up at him...

"I can understand Angel...You hated him...But for the love of God, Giles...My husband...With soul restored?..." she stared at him... "You knew...All the time, you knew..."

"Not always...But yes, the last few years...I'd known the general outline of the story of Cicely and William...All field Watchers have been briefed for the last century against..."

"My coming..." she said, flatly... "Our protectors...Keepin' a close watch in case I came back..."

"Chairman Travers warned me when William appeared in Sunnydale that it might not be coincidence...That you might well be...Buffy...I didn't want it to end like this...But there was no other..."

"You could have told me...I could have saved him..."

"Buffy, the menace to Humanity outweighed every other consideration...I am sorry...But that was another life...Buffy, you are not that woman now and..."

"You killed my husband, you bastards..." she said quietly... "All because I wanted a life...You would've killed anyone I'd hooked up with, right?...Hell, you killed me and my daughter in 1880 and you would've killed Buffy Summers just as easily if she became a problem...I mean a real problem, quitting Slaying or going off to save her vampire husband..."

Right?...She stared at him...

"We all have our duty, Slayer..." he said quietly... "We had a chance here to eliminate the demonic threat to Mankind forever...And whatever sacrifices had to be made, were made...:"

Will be made...

"Angel and Will eliminated the threat..." she shook her head... "You sat on your ass and let them die...And now what?...The Partners are back in Hell, their demons have fled this planet and their vamp hosts...You boys have 20,000 Slayers under your thumb, thanks to Willow and me...And no more vamps or demons to hunt, thanks to my husband and poor Angel...So now what?...The Council starts throwing its weight around?..."

Tell me...She eyed him... "Give me a good excuse to kill you all, for ole times sake..."

"The demonic threat is almost eliminated, Buffy..." he nodded... "But, excepting the occasional Simon Farris or Gwendolyn Post, we have no interest in seizing power...The Council could have sought power centuries ago...All we want is Humanity safe...And free..."

Of all things demonic...

She turned at the sound behind her...

...Of machine gun bolts being pulled back...

"Giles..." she turned to him...

"The others are all gone, dear, including poor Willow...They've done their duty and been retired as painlessly as possible...And with all the hell portals sealed there will be no more vampires and no more Slayers, no more demonic or demonic-powered forces unleashed on Earth..."

Even by us...He nodded to the armed men facing the now-standing Buffy...

She, in her turn, not really surprised to see that he made no move to avoid the fired bullets...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXIV...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (124) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

Senzafine

[Music: Coti Zelati / Lyrics: Scabbia / Ferro]

[Adapted English translation:]

"My time flows slowly

gliding upon the veil of my naked skin

If I'd not overstepped the borderline given me

maybe I would not be here

Now what's the sense

of trying to embrace a purer past

Looking forward I will risk

but I will answer my questions

All that we'll be

It was already written

If he truly exists

God has failed

Every spoken word

will be the mirror of your sorrow

will reflect the fault

will feed the hatred

Beloved

My fate choose

For you I still resist

For you I'm still standing up in this moment

of pure madness

I understand no longer if I should wish for good or evil

Even if sin maybe gave me more

Now what's the sense

of opposing resistance to a settled destiny

But I will manage to withstand

Awake me

O...Beloved

My fate choose

For you I will resist

Awake me

It isn't choice without you

It isn't life without you"

"Don't stop it..." harshly...

"It's not exactly the original Italian..." Andrew paused, pulling his finger back from the tape player while eyeing the silent figure in the hospital bed... "But that's the note..."

"I see..." a quiet tone... "And that was the last...?"

"We lost all contact through our agent after that...Until she showed in Rome, claiming everything'd gone well in Austria...No mention of the note..."

"Andrew...I should kill you..." the same quiet tone... "If you'd told me when we came to Rome..."

"She'd've killed me...And you'd be dead...Maybe both of you..." Andrew sighed... "She thought she could handle him...So I did...But I didn't know what she was doing...I thought it was all part of the Chairman's plan...Not a deal of her own...I knew she loved you but I never thought..."

"She'd risk cutting a deal with a Partner to save me...And now..."

"I don't know exactly what's happened...But whoever or whatever the Immortal sent back to Rome that day...It's not the Buffy we know...However much she may seem..."

"She's not dead, Andrew...I'd know..."

"I don't think she is either...But this..." Andrew tapped the note... "It's obviously a message...She barely altered the lyrics of the song...She must have figured if our agent was stopped, no one would be too suspicious..."

"Yeah...He has her...And is trying to break her..."

"But...This is Buffy Summers...What could the Immortal have that...?"

"He had me of course...She didn't fight, isn't fighting, because he'd've had his buddies here destroy me...Andrew, why should I trust you?...It's much easier to believe you're the deception..." steady look...

Stare back...Ummn...

"Give me a reason...A good one...Right now..." return to the quiet tone...But a definite trace of menace...

"I...If I was lying I could have just had you dusted when you were brought here...Or if I was part of the plot, just let her come to you and finish you off..."Andrew, hurriedly, gulping a bit...But steady in his return look...

He has learned some Ripper from ole Giles...William thought...Nodding...

"Good enough...Though it's this..." he took the note from Andrew's hand... "...and my gut that I mostly believe..."

"We don't have much time, William...She'll be suspicious if I keep her from you while you're still here...I've got to get you out..."

"Is it her?...Her body?...Or can I kill her?...What am I dealing with, Wells?..."

Kill her?...Andrew involuntarily stared at the flat sheet under which a missing leg should have been...

"It's her...But..."

Voices in the hall...

"Well?..."

"I can't say more now...I don't know whom to trust here...Look, we have to get you safely to England where my people..."

"You have 'people' now?..."

"Spike...We can't trust anyone here...I can't risk saying more...But I'm going to get you out..."

"Right..." he nodded... "Thanks..." Andrew nodding back, rose...

"Leave the tape too, please..."

Ummn... "Will...Someone might..."

"It's all she has...All she's clinging to...I don't care, Wells...I have to have it...So long as I hear it, I can feel her..."

"Please, Andrew..."

Andrew sighed but handed him the player...

"Try to keep it hidden, Spike...Especially from her if she manages to reach you...See you in England..."

"Right...Thanks..."

The first faint strains reaching Andrew as he went out into the corridor where Council staff and a few of the local Slayers hurried about...

Awake...William whispered, listening...

Awake...O, Beloved...

(A little extra scene for the opening of "You Only Live Thrice...")

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXV...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (125) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

Rome...One month after the LA battle...

Hmmn...Andrew, head wrapped in towel, frowns at the insistent buzzer...

Not another Slayer seeking guidance from the One and Only...

Not to mention from Buffy as well...

About time I spoke to the Chairman and we ended this charade... Even if it was my idea...

Still...And speaking of the Chairman...It could be an urgent Council matter only one Wells could be entrusted with...

Or it could be my pizza...He sighed and stood at the door...

Hmmn...He peered out the peephole...

No one?...

Well...

"Mr. Wells?..." Buffy...Or rather 'Buffy'...Had emerged from her bedroom in a robe... "Is anything wrong?..."

He put up a hand...Not time to abandon character... "I think it's just a mistake or uno bambino playing the tricks...Ms. Summers..." he put emphasis on the Summers...

One never knowing...

She nodded, biting lip...Should know better than to come out of character without an all-clear... "Right...Andrew..." she giving it the full Buffy vocals...He nodding in turn...Very good...

Even if it was only...The buzzer ran again, startling them...

But, naturally the Vice-Chairman for Field Operations had chosen his Buffy double, a former actress called to Slaying, well...She held character, without skipping a beat... "Andrew?...Were you expecting someone?..."

He carefully put eye to peephole... "Let me..." she insisted, in excellent Buffy manner, gently pulling him away...Though not before he'd again taken a quick look...And seen that all remained seemingly clear...

She gazed through the peephole, carefully repressing her natural nervousness...Andrew pleased to see her taking a very Buffy initative...

"So...?"

"Nothing..." she sighed...Looking again...And pulling away with a shrug a moment later...

"What'd'ya think, Andy?...Shall we take a peek to be sure?"

"Buffy, I'd prefer to..." he paused as the buzzer ran yet again...

'Buffy' returned to the peephole... "No one again..." she looked back at Andrew...Both bewildered and a tad apprehensive now...

"It's William!..." she suggested... "He's come back as a ghost after LA and wants me to help him..."

Uh-huh...Andrew nodded...

My God how lame can you get?...he thought...

On the other hand...Maybe his spirit now knows about our little charade and is here in disembodied form to flay me alive...With Angel's equally enraging spirit perhaps assisting...

"I'd better take a look, Andrew..." she put hand to knob and unlocked the door with her free hand...

"Wait..." he put hand on hers...

Why, Andrew...slight-out-of-character-beam...She'd been waiting six months for the little guy to make a move...Even expressing a real interest during off-duty moments in her Immortal partying companion hadn't gotten a rise out of him...

Watchers are so dedicated as she'd mentioned to Ms. Dawn Summers during her visit during her break from studies in Milan...

Though it had been disconcerting the look Dawn had given her in return...Andrew?...

"Lets not do the classic slasher movie mistake, going out there alone...Obviously someone wants us to come out..." he noted...

She nodded, as a veteran of several such...

"Though on the positive side, if they were something invincible or even super, they'd've likely come in by now...Unless..."

"Vampire?...Right up my alley..." she beamed...But as he kept his...Very sweet hand on hers, she hesitated...

Should I put my hand on his arm?...To thank him for his show of concern?...Maybe encourage him a little?...

"Could be Drusilla..." he pondered... "She'd do it this way...And she could possibly be pissed at Buffy over Spike..."

Drusilla?...Oh, right...The psycho with hypno powers, William's ex-... "That's not a bad idea, Andrew...But..." projecting voice a little... "I've handled Drusilla in the past..."

He put up a hand...Ok...A slight smile...Very Buffy...Which she returned...

"Lets throw something on and I'll get the new projector and the thermal scanner...We'll see if anything warm-blooded is out there and if not flood the hallway with UV..."

"Make sure there are no kids out there, fooling around Andrew..." she said, anxiously as he went to grab the new equipment...All his inventions she thought with admiration, heading for her room...What a guy... "That thing could blind them..."

If only he could see how blind he was to me...

"We'll be careful..." he called back... "Just don't open the door..."

She emerged a couple of minutes later in sweater and slacks...

A crash from Andrew's room...

"Andy?..." "Fine, fine...Dropped a box..."

Another buzz...She peered out again but as she expected...Nothing...

"Ok..." Andrew emerged, in t-shirt and trousers, holding small cell-phone like scanner with tiny readout screen in left hand, large boxlike unit with giant flashlight-like projector on top barely managed in right...

She hurried to help with the projector, taking it in hand...As he began scanning the corridor...

Hmmn...The two people in what should be apartment 138 were either very recently dead victims stacked like cordwood or...Yeah, having sex...

Other than that, nothing remotely human around...And nothing at vampiral body temps...Though of course they could get pretty low if necessary...Cyborgs?...Nothing even that warm...

"Looks clear unless ghosts or robots...And they'd have to be robots operating at room temperature..."

"Maybe the buzzer's just not working right..." 'Buffy' suggested, setting down the UV projector which he now took up, struggling just a bit to conceal the effort...

Gotta steamline this thing...

"We'll see...Ok, Buffy..." raising voice a bit... "I think it's clear...Lets take a quick look..."

She nodded, pulled stake...Pleased at his pleased...That's Slayer form...Look...And moving to the door... "Ummn...Andrew?...Towel?..." she pointed at the towel turban still on his head...Whoops...Then opened the door, carefully...

Both peering out into the empty hallway...Not a thing...

Yet...

At his nod, she stepped out, cautiously, while he followed behind, lugging projector... "Let me give a burst just in case..." he passed a pair of rather hip-looking sunglass-like goggles to her and put a pair on himself...

And setting the projector down squarely in the middle of the doorway, activated it and carefully angled the flashlight-like emitter to cover the entire hallway...

No screams of agony or sudden flameouts...Good...He snapped the unit's switch to off...And turned to look at the buzzer...Which looked, to all appearances, normal...

"Should I take a look down the hall?..." 'Buffy' asked...

He gave a guarded look...Not very Buffy... "Ummn...You spotted anything I should check out, Andy?..." more confident tone... Sorry, her look back said...

Much better...His return look...

"Please wait just a minute, Slayer...I just wanna be sure this thing isn't the problem..." he pressed the buzzer; it rang normally...

Ok, so far...He gave her the 'Buffy now does her own thing' look... "I'll think I'll take a quick look down to the elevator..." she said, insistent tone...Hesitating only a second...

"Wait for me, Buffy..." he replied, rising to follow after her...

Phew...She thought...I dread the day when he really will have me do this stuff alone...

Though I am getting pretty good...

They moved down to the elevator, 'Buffy' looking self-assured...Though carefully eyeing each apartment door they passed...

"People in 138..." Andrew hissed as they passed... "Human, just making out..."

"Ok..." she nodded...

Wish he'd take a little inspiration from them...God, I know it's my job and my duty to play Buffy but why couldn't Buffy find Andrew attractive?...He's brave, he's brilliant, he's nice...He's human...And he's not that pompous jackass the Immortal...Or some of those egos I've worked with in my other career...

Heck, I'm beginning to think this Summers girl is a little...What with all the living dead boyfriends and all...

She'd reached the elevator...Andrew just behind...

Nothing...No one...or thing...

"I think we oughta check the other floors, then I guess I'd better go take that buzzer apart..." he said, shrugging... "And maybe try a poltergeist detection spell..."

God, how does he manage to know all these things?...She repressed an urge to beam at him...

Still no reason not to advance things a little...

"Thanks, Andy..." she patted his arm... "You're the best..."

Ummn...He blinked...

"I think we'd better take the stairs, just in case the elevator's booby-trapped..."

The elevator suddenly opened...A slender, attractive young brunette-haired woman stepping off...Stopping at the stares of the two before her...

"Ms. Summers?...Mr. Wells..." she addressed her neighbors in accented English...

"Carolina..." Andrew gave a friendly wave... "Nice to see you..."

"Carolina..." 'Buffy' smiled, likewise waving... "We're going to do some night photograpy in some ruins again... " she indicated the projector in Andrew's hand...

"Bene..." Carolina gave a smile back...Making her way between them...

Such an odd little American couple...Still can't figure them out...And even though Ms. Summers is always running around with that dashing aristocratic charmer...A real Italian gentleman of the old school...It's obvious she prefers the little fellow...

Perhaps it's a title she wants...Or she needs to marry for money...Americans aren't quite as loaded as they used to be these days...

Of course the little one is rather cute in his way...An inventor or engineer judging by the things they're always playing around with...Perhaps that's it...She's throwing herself at the wealthy Italian investor for sake of the brilliant inventor?...Who might be the next Gates-in-training?...She cast another smile primarily at Andrew as she reached her door... "Good night..."

"You sure she's not a vamp or something..." 'Buffy' hissed to Andrew as they watched Carolina's 136 room door close...

"Doesn't show any signs...I had all the neighbors checked out...Nothing questionable in her background...She seems like a nice girl..." Andrew noted... 'Buffy' frowning...

Nice girl, right...

No single Italian "stenographer" could afford an apartment in this building...Not to mention that outfit...

"Lets still take the stairs..." Andrew noted...

"Second floor...Clear..." Andrew pronounced as he and 'Buffy' re-entered the stairwell from the second floor, one floor below their apartment...

Though it was a shame about that elderly couple in 28, he noted...'Buffy' shuddering a bit again at the memory... At least nothing killed them but old age and dehydration...

"Sorry about staking that cat..." she sighed... "But it was eating the lady's toes and I thought it had to be..."

"It's fine...I got it out the window before anyone came...And demon or no, it was an evil cat..."

"Should we just go back?...The police'll be there for a while...Probably want to talk to us again..."

"We've just got the fourth floor to check now...We'll make it fast..."

"Right..." she took a more Buffy tone... As Andrew always notes in training, anyone could be watching at anytime...And a professional actress stays in character...

Even if she'd really like to cry on the shoulder of her sweet companion/Watcher-supervisor/live-in...That was awful back there...

Though clearly they had been a very devoted old couple...

They moved up the stairs again...Pausing at the fourth floor entrance...She set down the UV projector as Andy began a quick scan...

"Looks like everyone's home up here..."

No one around...I doubt anyone has a camera up here...

Now or never, girl...Though don't break character...

"Andrew..."

"Yeah, Buffy..."

"I've been thinking..."

"You have an idea?..." he looked at her... "What?..."

"I love you..." she said...

Uhh...

"You heard what I said?..."

Uhh...

"Buffy, I..."

"Yeah!...Buffy Summers loves Andrew Wells!..." she said, louder...

Hmmn...I don't remember suggesting that development in the character...Andrew thought...

"...And so does..." she hissed...Taking his arm...

"Sarah..." he hissed back... "What the heck are you doing...?"

"Don't make me break character, Andy..." she hissed back...

Ok...Maybe she's had an idea?...The William ghost again?...

"Buffy?...What do you mean?..." he tried to play along...Cautiously glancing round...Did she sense...Something?...

"I mean I love you, Andrew..." she beamed at him... "I have for a long time...I just finally worked up the nerve to tell you..."

Ok...Warren's evil ghost has possessed her for a practical joke, no doubt...

"Ummn...Buffy...That's very flattering...Were you exposed to anything recently?...An orb?...A jacket maybe?..."

"Andy...You know I love you...Can't you just accept it and tell me how you feel?..."

What is she up...To?...He gasped as she pulled him to her and kissed on the lips, hard...

"I'm not kidding, Andy..." she whispered... "But I don't wanna break character..."

Holy...

"So...?" she pulled back a bit...Eyeing his startled, rather wild-eyed expression... "How do you feel?..."

I really don't think Chairman Giles will approve of this version of our 'Buffy in Rome' playlet...

"What was that?..." he looked behind her...

"Andrew..." she frowned... "That is the oldest ..."

"No, I mean I heard footsteps...Let me check the scanner..."

They both heard the slam of the door on the third floor... 'Buffy' looking at Andrew...

"It was someone..."

God, Andy you are so sharp...she beamed...

"...Someones, maybe...Or things...Invisible...Come on!..." he pushed past her...

An alley...Five blocks away...

"Well?..." Buffy eyed William...Both now visible after application of the Trio's old invisibility ray in reverse polarity...

"All right...It was a double...Very good double too..."

"Not much shakes as a Slayer, I'd say...She never sensed us standing two feet away...If Andy hadn't heard us...The little..." She frowned... "Do you believe me now?..."

"Yeah..." he sighed, smiling...

"Ok, then...Jerk!..." she whacked him, hard...Knocking him down... "Believing I wouldn't come like a shot if I'd known...And not coming to me, then threatening Andrew, even Giles if you had to, once you found out about Buffy the play-actress...God-damn you, you little...You know what I've been though...?...And when I found out about us in the archives...Thinking I'd lost you again?..." she whacked him again as he rose...

"Easy, Cicely!...Or you will lose me again!..." he protested...

"Of course Andy has it coming too...The little..."

"He did think he was doing the right thing, you know..."

"And Giles, backing him up...Letting the guys think I'd gone ga-ga over that publicity-grubbing, Council-boot licking Immortal, telling me it was for my protection when it was to keep you away... And after never telling me about us, knowing our history from the files all these years...Ohhhh, I could just..."

A glowing, if somewhat fading-in-and-out Buffy appears, looking hopeful...

"Screw off girl..." Will frowned at the First... "She doesn't mean that..."

"I can't believe you...You think I'm dumb enough to blow two resurrections and my husband's salvation on revenge..." Buffy, equal frown... "Get lost!..."

The First faded out, fuming a bit...

"You know..." Will grinned... "We could bloodlessly turn the tables on our two little Shakespeares...If you were to step into the lady's shoes for a few days...Say we got Angel to have one of our W-H studios offer her a part and she had to take an immediate break...Buffy kindly agrees to fill-in..."

"Yeah?..."

"But through some mischance involving the hurried nature of the offer and an invisible mail/note thief, our Andy doesn't get word of the switch while Giles does...While Buffy carries on with lil' Wells where our lovelorn actress stepped out..."

"Will...That is evil..." Buffy grinned...

"Drive Giles crazy...And Andrew would have a lot of explaining to do to both your clueless gang and his girlfriend..."

"I wouldn't have to...You know..."

"Please...I may be a bad poet but I can write a few convincing love scenes without putting you both in the sack...And it's not all revenge...That boy needs to make up his mind and tell that poor girl what he wants...One way or the other..."

"I'd have to continue her playing around with the Immortal too..." she gave an arch look... "You think you could deal..."

"Judging by what we saw the other night, I'd say His Benevolence was more likely interested in young Wells than you..."

"Hey..."

"Not your fault, love...Or hers...But at least now we know why he was so obsessed with me over the last century..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVI...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (126) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

I rather like this one and may expand it to a regular story...

1880...Night of William's death and transformation...

Hell, Ministry of Information...

Naturally a morass of bureaucracy and inefficiency...Rife with very literal back-stabbing and betrayal...

"Ma'am...?" tap at the office door of Hell's all-powerful First Evil...

Currently using the form of the greatest Slayer living...Formerly one Cicely Addams...As of the previous night, Cicely Walthrop...

"Well?..." an icy, cruel-looking...Not even Halfreck the vengeance demon using her form this night on Earth in crushing the heart of the Slayer's mate looked so cold, the messenger tapping noted to his floppy-eyed self...

"Clement, ma'am...Message from Lord D'Hoffryn about Operation Walthrop, ma'am..."

"Hand it over..."

"Gouged in blood on my arm, ma'am..."

"Like I said, hand it over...Guard?..." a guard cut the extended arm off as Clem howled in agony...

Hmmn...The other false 'Cicely' perused the communique...

"So, D'Hoffryn's girl's nailed him using her form...And the Slayer blames herself...A good start..." she nodded...

But frowned after a moment...Representing several days on Earth...Clem nervously awaiting her dismissal...

"So where's her despair?...The summons to anyone or thing that could avenge her William's taking...?"

"Don't know ma'am...Might I have my arm back, ma'am?..."

"Grow another, fur-ball..." she sneered, tossing the arm for disposal...

Another pause...Representing nearly an Earthly month...

"What the hell?...Doesn't she care?...You there, pooch..." she glared at Clem...

"Go find out what's going on...And it'd better be horrendous news...For Humanity...Make sure you make full surveillance yourself...No more of this operating through that pimp and his vengeance demons..."

"Yes, ma'am...Uh, about my arm, ma'am?..."

"Get the here out!..."

"Yes, ma'am..."

London...1880...

Surveillance Report #1 Operation "Walthrop"...

Slayer Mrs. Cicely Walthrop was brought to an East End hospital looking mighty bad by her Watcher, Dr. Farris and his crew...Slayer is definitely pregnant and seemed delirious...

(Poor kid...Clem sighed... She did look awful...)

Mr. Farris seen to make contact with operative Halfreck this afternoon in hospital room...He confirmed that Slayer has been poisoned and is near death...

No word on whereabouts of vampire counterpart of Slayer's husband...Believed to be still on pleasure cruise off French coast with siress Drusilla...

Miss Halfreck aware of surveillance and in making contact afterwards, cautioned... (Boy, did she...) This operative to remain in passive mode... (My favorite anyway)...But agreed not to alert her human partner, Dr. Farris, to my presence...

Miss Halfreck in agreement Slayer not likely to accept an offer of help from D'Hoffryn or our own group at this time...She recommends...

(Hmmn...That Slayer isn't gonna cut a deal with us either...Why bother the poor thing on her deathbed?...he pondered...Erasing "She recommends..." after a moment's reflection...)

...at this time...No further recommendations...Will maintain surveillance...

Surveillance report #2 Operation "Walthrop"...

Slayer Cicely Walthrop died at 3 pm this afternoon, along with her stillborn daughter...Vengeance demon Halfreck reports there was no success in attempting to contract an arrangement with her departing soul, despite Slayer's avowed promise to return and save husband...

Slayer's father, Sir Richard Addams came to collect body and took it away following argument with Slayer's cousin, a Mr. Foxcroft...

As per orders (Do appreciate getting the arm back, ma'am, Clem eyeing severed arm with gouged instructions...) this operation will shortly resume in more limited fashion as Operation "Spike", focusing on intermittent surveillance of Slayer's husband's counterpart...

Romania...1898...

Surveillance Report # 2000 Operation "Spike"...

Break-up of Angelus pride seems imminent owing to previously described soul curse of former leader Angelus... Subject William the Bloody (WTB) increasingly asserting leadership, though as yet still held in check by vampiral pride leader, Darla... In discussion, WTB has recommended leaving pride to siress/mate Drusilla but as yet the decision has not been made... Pride remains vigilant and successful...

Have successfully made contact with WTB as fellow demon...Stood him drinks at local inn...

(Nice fellow, really...When fed...Though not much shakes at darts...)

WTB generally non-aggressive toward human society as whole...Somewhat malicious towards victims...Seems to ape Angelus' style to large extent...

Though drowning that bartender in his own beer keg had a distinctive Shakespearian touch...I mean Clarence in "Richard III", ma'am...

(Ow...He patted flaming fur...

Just tryin' to be clear, ma'am...)

Constantinople...1899...

Surveillance Report #2497 Operation "Spike"...

Angelus pride held together for the moment under Darla...Angelus clearly withdrawn from hunting activity with pride...Soul curse?...

Have maintained friendly relations with WTB, though Drusilla seems annoyed when he spends time away from her...Darla doesn't seem to like me much either.. (I'm sure "nice dog you picked up..." was meant as insult, Clem frowned at the paper...) May be necessary to avoid contact with the pride females...

(Of course Darla is having a rough time these days what with Angelus and all...)

Cautiously brought up subject of his transformation and past human existence with WTB as instructed...He deflected all discussion of his human past except to mention he was a famed and promising poet...

(Thank God I took a dart in the paw just then...)

China...1900...

Surveillance Report # 3010 Operation "Spike"

WTB defeated and killed the current Slayer tonight...She hesitated in her fight as if... (Clem paused and scratched out everything after "tonight..." Though it was true...As if she'd recognized him in a vague way, poor kid...)

After battle had drinks with him...He a bit curious as to my doings in China...I keeping to "on my way to the famous Hellmouth in the great California land in America..." explanation...He eager to review battle in any case...Though a bit troubled when I translated Slayer's last words for him...Talked about his past a bit for the first time, mentioning his own mother...After multiple rounds, noted Slayer's hesitation and admitted she could have destroyed him...Seemed troubled by that as well...Briefly...When taking him home...

Drusilla quite annoyed with both of us at near dawn arrival...

Angelus was caught by Darla protecting some people tonight...I think it must have been that soul he got in Romania...She's kicked him out once and for all...William and Drusilla however have decided for their part to leave the pride as well...

(Poor ole Darla...he thought...It's tough to be alone for all eternity...)

Russian Pacific coast...1900...

Surveillance Report # 3098 Operation "Spike"...

Drusilla has demanded she and WTB return to Europe...As it would look suspicious, I must continue onto America for now...Since there has been no further indication of a possible return of Mrs. Walthrop to date, I feel surveillance can be reduced to limited monitoring on a yearly or at most, monthly basis...If this is denied, I recommend another demon be assigned to watch WTB for a time to minimize suspicion...

(Right..."Go and check out the California Hellmouth, ask about the new American Slayer, then go to Europe, report to vampire Master, Heinrich Nast in France, then find and resume surveillance on William the Bloody...The Hell I'm letting you off this one..." he sighed, reading the reply sent back...Eyeing the sneeringly grinning imp bearer ruefully...)

England...1912...

Surveillance Report # 6001, Operation "Spike"...

Flagged as "For immediate attention..."

(It better be something, the First grumbling in her Cicely form...Having interrupted her beauty bath and torture session...)

Found Darla boarding passenger ocean liner bound for America, possibly in service of sire Heinrich Nast...WTB and Drusilla were not traveling with her as rumor indicated...

Correction: Located WTB and Drusilla following evening in Southampton pub celebrating likely demise of Darla...(Passenger liner struck iceberg, sank in North Atlantic with heavy loss of life...) Drusilla quite annoyed at my reappearance, though not very suspicious...Urged WTB to "make a rug of [me] for his Dru girl"...Enraged at WTB refusal...WTB and I spending after evening together in pub, he noting, after multiple rounds, a past infidelity of Drusilla's with Angelus...

(Eehew...Hybrid vampires and their incestuous relations...But that had better not be all...The First frowned...)

WTB continued at some length on general unworthiness of female sex, both human and demonic...However it was clear he was not primarily focusing on Drusilla, he mentioning "that other bitch" multiple times, with appreciative thanks to all Powers That Be that said "other bitch" was long in her grave and would not rise to trouble him again... I refrained from pressing the subject given his occasional snarls at my early attempts but of his own accord at round 19...Whiskey straight... He offered a gold ring for my perusal, noting it was a symbol of fidelity, transmuted into a constant reminder of female fickleness...

(In somewhat less clear terms, involving a chorus of "La Donna E Mobile"...Clem thought...)

There was an inscription of "Eternity is Ours" inside the ring...

I suspect this may be wedding ring from WTB human counterpart's 1880 marriage to Slayer Cicely Addams...

(It's that amazing brain of yours that keeps me assigning you these arduous tasks, moron...the First glared at the report...

Still...It is something...)

WTB made joke about keeping ring for pawning purposes when no well- loaded dinners are at hand...Cautioned me not to mention ring to Drusilla...

No word of Angelus, according to WTB, who seemed glad (and how) to have him gone...

Shame...They were like brothers once...

Sunnydale...2001...

"Surveillance Report # 12,071..."Operation Spike..."

Drinks at local bar with WTB...WTB once again denouncing Slayer Buffy Summers as "golden-haired bitch vomited from Heaven..."

It's definitely love...

Follow-up to report 12,067...I am convinced there is a psychic link between Ms. Summers and WTB...WTB has continued to mention past since spending night with Ms. Summers at local bar...Many references to the "other bitch" mentioned in last century's reports... ("Look it up, you moron!"...Flaming letters searing on to Clem's brow...)

Supplemental report for Report #12,071...

It was noted in report #6001, ma'am...

(I'm beneath her, she said, William told me...

...Jesus...)

Surveillance Report # 12, 073..."Operation Spike"...

Apologies for lack of reports in past six months...WTB's been busy...

Slayer engaged with goddess Glorificus...WTB concerned...

Slayer Ms. Summers' mother ill...WTB concerned about that too...

WTB generally pretty much focused on Slayer Ms. Summers these days...Surprised to find Slayer Ms. Summers seems comforted by his presence, though she continues to threaten him with staking should his "chip" (see report #10,902) fail...

(Wish he hadn't told me about lurkin' in her cellar and collectin' her old clothes...Clem thought, wincing slightly...)

Surveillance Report # 12, 101..."Operation Spike..."

Interesting development...Spotted WTB in graveyard being straddled by Slayer Buffy Summers...

She seemed quite happy about it...No signs of obvious thrall...Though Slayer's friends on arrival were not so pleased...

WTB rather oddly mum about development later when meeting for drinks and kitten poker...Seemed a little embarrassed when asked what Slayer was doing in his crypt when I arrived...Insisted Slayer "mad gone on him" when pressed after third round...

Correction...

Further surveillance indicates Slayer "mad gone" on WTB not Buffy Summers but robot copy...

Neat job, too...Very lifelike...

(She's so nice...Kissed my cheek and said any friend of Spike's was welcome to access programs 3-12 anytime Spike gave administrative permission and provided the password...)

Surveillance Report # 12, 202...

Note: Please delete reports 10,010 through 10,031; 11,063 through 11, 071; 11, 323 through 11, 325; 12,005...Slayer Ms. Summers' sister Dawn was a construct from an energy matrix...All memories associated with her are unreliable...

Slayer Ms. Summers defeated Glorificus tonight...Goddess is dead, killed while trapped in human shell by Slayer's watcher, Mr. Giles...She (Slayer) is dead also...

I'm convinced Slayer Buffy Summers was reincarnation of Slayer Cicely Addams Walthrop...However she failed to fully recognize WTB before her death...

So, I guess we won...

I don't want to do these anymore, ma'am...

I understand the consequences...

(I doubt that...The First, now in Buffy form, muttered grimly to herself...)

Night of the LA battle...

"William, William..."

"No...No, Slayer...Listen to me...I got him hid...He's alive...More or less...You gotta go...Survive...You'll find him later, I swear..."

"Clem?..." Buffy stared at him…"I left him…He was…"

"I know…Cicely…" he nodded, patting her gently, helping her up… She groaning from her wounds…Only a small force of Slayers having defied Giles' orders and backed her up…Now nearly all wounded or dead themselves…

"He's…"

"I'll bring him to you…I swear he's ok…" he nodded…

Yesterday…

"Clem...You know your career in Hell was toileted before, given your helping the Slayer against me...It's now completely flushed..." the First grimly frowned...Flickering slightly in her Buffy form…

Poor thing, Clem couldn't help a sympathetic look which earned a glare…

Never quite the same since the amulet blasted her back to Hell…

"Yes, ma'am..." he sighed...Readying himself as best he could...Eye- gouging, flaying...Drawing, quartering...You can never really be ready for them but...

He eyed the pictures on her desk, grabbed from him on his return…

Really shoulda thought before going hiking in the Canadian woods without a human costume…A beaming Buffy holding adopted Will, Jr, and her baby daughter, and a still rather hesitant but tentatively accepting daughter Dawn Amelia beside her eyeing her acknowledged father…A rather in his own right still stunned-looking William… "To Clem…The Walthrops…" the writing in marker across the photo…

"You're out, demon..." the First eyed him... "Hell will freeze over before her tender, warm bosom suckles the likes of you again..."

Ummn...?

"Well...You know what I mean...Guards, deposit this traitor at the gates of Purgatory...Hope you like punishment followed by white blankness, traitor..."

Ummn...Clem blinked...I'm out?...To Purgatory?...Meaning, a shot at...?

That's...It...?

A strange look in her eye... "Begone...Forever..."

Uh..."Yes, ma'am...Uh...Bye..."

Of course it could be a vicious joke...Best to be prepared to join in the laughter...

Still...I wonder what the punishment in Purgatory is for accidentally frightening a child to death...?

Of course I do have a few murders since then, but they were demonically inspired...I hear you get a break...Consideration...

Hmmn...He glanced down from the platform where the guards were chaining him, preparatory to his express elevator ride to another dimension...She staring up at him...A flash of a look coming over her flickering face...

Well, I'll be...No, actually I won't be...He thought, rather happily...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (127) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

The offices of Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...The firm reconstructed by the intrepid former CEO from the old Wolfram-Hart, following its sudden collapse after the violent 'terrorist' attack on LA had been defeated...

Most of the damage...Thankfully confined to a few blocks...By now, one year later, repaired...

"You must be kidding..." a firm refusal on the part of the last named partner, William Soames Walthrop, currently seated in his senior partner's office...The remaining partners, Charles Gunn and Dr. Winifred "Illyria (nickname the boys gave me, Mom)" Burkle-Wyndham-Price ("Dad, we were gonna call right after he asked but then that attack, you know..."), watching from their chairs with considerable interest...As was Angel's beloved spouse, Nina Angel...

"You were thinking of going to England for a while..." Angel pointed out... "And we need a partner to handle these negotiations with the Council if our rescue operations are gonna succeed..."

Save 'em, not kill 'em...I still don't think I've quite wrapped my mind around this one...Charlie noted quietly to Illyria...Who shrugged...Not the warrior queen to ask, kiddo...

Still, if Angel and Will want to try...

"So you go...Or just pick up the phone...You've got me loaded down with the European reorganization and that branch of our little rescue project...I'll be tied up for months...Then I'm going for a well-deserved vacation...Look up my roots...See if any family's left...Or any victims of Spike from our little effort who need help...And I have my boy and...Look, I'll have no time..."

"Will...She's with the Immortal in Rome...She probably won't even be there...You just need to settle things with Giles and the Council...It's important to get them to agree to let us have our chance...Restrain their Slayers till we can get things ready to use the modified spell...Lives and souls depend on this...A phone call won't do and I'm tied down here...Besides, you know Giles and I have a history...A bad one..."

"And we don't?...He tried to kill me, you know...And he..." a hesitant tone...

"...I'm sure he wouldn't have been able to help Winifred by then, Will..." Illyria, quietly...

"No offense or blame intended, love..."

"It's ok..." she smiled, a little wanly... "You guys are always much too nice about...Things..."

"Not at all...Well..." he returned to Angel... "The bottom line is..."

"He owes you...You didn't kill his girlfriend, you saved his little Slayer girl...And you were an innocent soul when he tried to kill you...He owes you and he knows it...That'll help...Plus, if necessary..."

Nina looking rather carefully at both Angel and William...

"Oh, no...No..."

"I'm not saying you'd have to ask her to help...Just remind him she'd probably back you if you did...C'mon Will...This is important and you're headed that way anyway...So you start the vacation first, right after this..."

"Look..."

He caught Nina's nervous glance...Please...?

Oh, Lord...Mum, this is your fault...Pounding it into my head from birth...A gentleman never refuses a lady...Till even Spike was polite with Joyce and such...

Poor kid...He sighed within...I think I see now who decided Angel was too busy to go to this thing...

"Another month's vacation...And no questions about how I operate in Europe...Just clean up any demonic messes I have to leave in settling things...I'm not pussy-footing around with any troublemakers with my boy in harm's way..."

"I said I'd leave that up to you...Just don't get into the papers too much..."

"When's and where's the damned thing...?"

"Next week...London...Giles is holding a full session including Slayer representatives from around the world..."

"What?...She'll be there!..."

"She and the Immortal are on their honeymoon...They're going to his estates in Greece next week...She won't be there..."

Will frowned... So you say...

"You'd be less likely to see her in England than in Italy next week..." Angel pointed out...

"""

London, one week later...New Antiquarian Hall of the Royal Council of Antiquarians and Library Scientists...

A dignified Andrew Wells in suit, dignified as befitting the Vice-Chairman of European Field Operations...Ignoring the slightly mocking looks of several young Observer candidates he passed...

Kids...

...Strode toward the tables now set up for the reception of various international dignitaries and Watcher/Council groups from around the world for the first full session of the Council since the destruction of the old Hall by the First Evil's minion, Caleb...

Hmmn...He caught a brief glimpse of a slight fellow, brown-blonde in suit...But it was the nervous-looking, shy brunette on the man's arm who seemed to be drawing stares...

Holy...! He looked round for the nearest Slayer...Gretchen...

One of the small but growing crowd now talking to the increasing nervous girl excitedly...

What the...? No, wait...My gosh...She's got a pass...

So it's true?...Angel really did?...

Drusilla...With a soul...

Wow...And...

Oh, no...God, no...He looked for an immediate escape route...

"Andrew?..." William called...

His way blocked by the growing crowd moving toward the surprise of the conference...

Poor Dru clearly terrified by the attention...William trying to gently urge folks to back off a bit...

A guard pushed through to Andrew...A little anxious to explain... "They've been cleared, sir..."

"Yeah, yeah..." he waved a hand...

The Chairman didn't say a word...Not a word...

Oh, God...

"Andrew...We're a bit overwhelmed by the kindness here..." Will had managed to push through to him, a rather quaking Dru holding to his arm with a vise grip...

"You know Ms. Waverly..."

"I never..." Dru hesitated... "You're not someone It..."

"No, Dru..." Will patted her arm hastily... "You never harmed Andy here...He works for the Council of Watchers...He used to work with Ms. Summers' people in Sunnydale..."

"Oh?..." she nodded vaguely...

"Andy, can't you get us out of this?..." Will indicated the crowd... "I didn't realize we'd attract so much attention..."

"Everyone is very kind..." Dru noted, nervously...Hastily signing a photograph book thrust at her by an over-eager young Slayer... "Very kind..." she repeated...

"Elise..."Andrew frowned at the girl...

"Sorry, sir..." Elise dutifully nodded, turning to head off in triumph...Got it!...

More Watchers, Slayers, various attendees moving their way...

"This way..." Andrew sighed, pointed...Ordering the guard still by him to clear a path...

"So very kind...Oh..." Dru halted, staring at one Watcher giving her a rather grim stare back...

"Very, very sorry, sir..."

"Come on, Dru..." Will tugged her along...Andrew pulling out handkerchief, mopping sweating brow as they proceeded slowly...

"Wait!..." a Slayer pointed... "It's William...!" she cried...Slayers around the hall, in the crowd all suddenly transfixed...

Oh, Jesus...Andrew groaned...

"William!..." "Spike, I love you!..." "William, it's William!..." cries from around the room... "Oh, gosh, William's alive!..."

Funny, Will thought...Eyeing Andrew who had hand to head...What to do, oh God?...

Surely everyone knew ten seconds after he got back to England that time...Still, I suppose some of the international Slayers never got the word...

"Andy?...Can we go...?"

"God, yes...Lets get out of..." the crowd, a bit thinner in this area, parted a little...

"What were you...?" a slight brunette in suit, talking with an eager Elise...Who turned her slightly to face the group moving their way...

You bitch...the now doomed Andrew fumed in rage...This is just because of that extra training session last week, isn't it?...

The brunette blinking at William, then Dru...Drusilla's face amazingly managing to turn a even paler shade...

"You're...?" the brunette nearly keeling...

I'm dead...Andrew noted, resignedly... "Get the Chairman..." he hissed to the guard... "Get him...Quick..."

No need, sir... the guard pointed to Rupert Giles now moving to them, turning to assist the staggering brunette...

"Buffy...?" William stared at the brunette...

When the devil did she stop?...

Dru looking behind for an exit...Though not releasing her grip on Will's arm... "Is that...?" she whispered...

"Yes...But Buffy won't hurt you, love..." Will, a rather vague pat on arm...

"No..." Dru whispered, eyes bulging now... "It's...Her..."

"Buffy..." Giles was helping Buffy...Startled as she shook him off rather violently...An icy stare at him...

Andrew carefully edging toward the thinner part of the regathering crowd...

There might still be a chance to slip out and head for Mehico on the first plane...

"Andrew..." icy tone...

She has been in England for a bit...Will thought...

"Get over here..."

"Buffy..." Giles began...Halting at her glare...Ummn...

"Just a moment..." she waved him off, turning to William and the quaking Dru...

"You're alive..." she said...In a rather clipped British accent, though unmistakably, if somewhat dazed, Buffy...

"You're brown..." he smiled...

"You..." she stared at Dru now... A cold rage on her face...

The crowd standing round eyeing each other...Uh-oh...

Still nothing like actually getting to see the famed one making her moves...

"No..." Dru gasped a little... "Ma'am...I..."

"Buffy...Dru has a soul, she's fine now...Well, still a vamp like me but..." Will, reassuringly...

What's with her?...Can't believe Kendra meant that much to her all these years...

Buffy calming a bit...Right...Soul...

"Of course..." she nodded...Still white as the frightened Dru... "Hello...You murderous..."

"Buffy..." Giles tried...

Another hard glare...

"Sorry..." she turned to the puzzled Will... "I don't meet my resurrected lover and his murderess...Lover?..." hesitantly... "Every day..."

"Nice to see you too..." he stared... "Didn't Wells tell you?..."

"No..." she said, frostily... "Andrew?...You didn't, did you?..."

"Uh..." the hapless Vice-Chairman croaked out... "Buffy..."

"Very funny...Isn't very funny, William?..." she said, coldly...

"Buffy..." Giles cut in...Earning a look of adoration from Andrew... "I ordered Andrew..."

"I know..." she said, quietly...

"You tried to kill him...You wouldn't let him tell me...You tried to stop me from going through the archives..." she stated, flatly...

Amazing that accent...Will thought...

"You kept him from me, you bastard..." she finished, coldly...

"Buffy..." Giles tried...

"Buffy...I'm sure Rupert thought..."

"I know what he thought..." she replied...Startling him by suddenly shaking, clearly near tears...But she got hold of herself...

"And you two...Back together..." she eyed them...Focusing on Dru...Whose panicked face was quite reminiscent of a deer in headlights now...

"Us?..." Will blinked... "Oh, no..." he shook his head... "Ole Dru just needed an escort round England and Italy while she got her bearings and helped us out with some rescue work I'm hear to discuss with Giles...She's hoping to get the Pope's permission to let her resume her devotions..."

"Oh?..." Buffy blinked...

Dru getting a slight clairvoyant notion that things were not quite so desperate, calmed a little...

"That's wonderful...Maybe I can put in a good word?..."

"Or maybe your new husband?..." Will couldn't resist it...

"My what?..." she stared...

"His Benevolence...Your beau ideal..."

"My...What?..."

Giles now considering joining Andrew in his slow sliding toward the crowd's protection...

"Giles, Andrew...Stay here, please..." a calm, but deadly tone...

"My husband?...The Immortal?..." she eyed Will...

"Isn't he?...You and he were married a couple of weeks ago in Rome..."

Angel's boys were keeping tabs...He explained...

"No offense intended to your guy...We just knew him from the ole days and wanted..." he eyed her quivering face... "I mean, when I saw you with him and spoke to Andrew in Rome...He said you'd moved on and..."

Ah...Cha...Andrew, though fully accepting of his certain fate, could not resist a choked gasp...

"When you saw me in Rome?...And spoke to...Andrew...?" she repeated...

"It was merely for your own protection, Buffy..." Giles began...

"You really should have burned everything Caleb missed, Mr. Giles..." she waved him off, coldly... "But that's right..." she held up her left hand, a gold ring on fourth ring... "You couldn't have burned this...Even if you'd melted it down, I'd've found it..."

So...Is she married or...? Will, bemused...

"Buffy...William...You must understand that the Council honestly feared..."

"For itself...With good reason..." Buffy nodded calmly at Giles...

"What is this all about...?" William stared at them... "It wasn't you in Rome?..."

"We had a wonderful actress..." Andrew noted... "For Buffy's protection, of course...It just worked out well for His B and ..."

He wilted under Buffy's cool stare... "...they just hit it off..."

"Get out of here...Both of you..." Buffy said quietly... "And please see to Drusilla here...My husband and I have to talk...Please go with Mr. Wells, Dru...No one's going to hurt you...I'm sure Chairman Giles can help with the Pope...The Council has great influence in the world...I can testify to that..."

"Oh? When did you and the Slayer...?" Dru, feeling a bit more secure, politely addressing the dazed William...

"1880...March..." Buffy explained... "We met but I looked different then, excepting the hair now..."

"Oh...Of course...Cicely, wasn't it?..." Dru, brightly...

"Cicely..." Buffy nodded...

"I'm very lucky to be alive aren't I...?" Dru eyed her...

"Yes..." Buffy nodded... "But I can't and won't blame an innocent soul...We'll all get together later..."

All of us...She eyed Giles and Andrew narrowly...

"Cicely...?" William gasped...

"Dad?..." Dawn, suddenly breaking through the crowd, staring at William and Dru, now moving to take Andrew's arm...

LA...

One hour later, London time...

"Angelus...You son of a...!" Giles' raging voice over the line...

"So it went well, eh?..." Angel grinned over to Nina... "Glad to be of service, Giles...Give our best to Cicely and William..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVIII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!...

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (128) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

"Yes, put her through…Hello, Buffy…What?..."

"Yes, I've seen the papers…" Giles eyes paper in hand… "…I'm sorry about Angel…I…"

"Well, Buffy…As Chairman of the Council, I must consider all potential risks to our Slayers and I did have good reason to think…"

"If I'd truly wanted Angel dead, Buffy…After all, dear, I could have ordered the local California Slayers to leave LA…And they were decisive in…What?...Well…Buffy, I'm sorry he didn't tell you himself but I think Angel made his decision long ago…Frankly dear, I never really thought…What do you mean, 'take a close look'?..."

Eyes photo over story… "Famed CEO of former Wolfram-Hart weds…"…Angel in wedding tux, Nina in bridal dress on arm, beaming for camera…Young Connor to the side looking very content…Some slight rather mousy girl to his right, holding his arm…A beaming young black man beside her…

Some slight fellow to Angel's left…

"Well…The girl…Nina What'shername?...Is a brunette, but she doesn't look anything like Drus…What?...Buffy, I really don't think there's any need for…Shit!..." he stared again at the slight blonde-brown haired figure next to Angel uncomfortably in tux reluctantly smiling at camera…

Damn…

Still…There's no reason she should think…

"Sorry my dear…Well, yes…It does look vaguely like Spike, but... My dear, really…"

"Are you accusing me of?...That's hardly fair, Buffy…Even if he were back, somehow…Highly unlikely, dear…Do you really think Andrew and I would have…?"

He blinked at the phone...

Never knew she knew words like that...

"Buffy...Now you know Mr. Wells always had a tendency to exagg...What?...What do you mean if it's 'ok'd by the Vice-President of the US'?...Under what?...Buffy?...You left Andrew where?..."

"Dear, really…Buffy…Would you please calm down?...What do you mean the First was more honest with you?...Buffy?...Hello, Buffy?..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXIX...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (129) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

"Yes...This is the former corporate global headquarters of Wolfram-Hart, Inc...But we're now Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...Inc... "

"No...He's retired...Permanently...Yes, the same for Mr. Joseph and the rest of the Senior Partners...Would you like me to...?"

"No...We don't carry out assassinations...No, I'm afraid not even if the target is 'kind of evil himself'...Though we do protect the...Why, yes, this is Ms. Kendall, Mr. Angel's..."

Pause... "Sure I do...You still owe me for the movie tickets...No, I wouldn't...No...Look, I have a soul again...And I'm working...Now do you want me to put you through to Mr. Angel or...? I just told you we don't do that...No, the Partners lost and good...er, Good...Prevailed...Didn't you get the memo from Hell?..."

"I tole you I'm at work now...And I wouldn't...At least not with you...And I should tell you we're tracing all calls from former clients...Hello?...Heeelllo?..."

Hmmn...William was right...Harmony reflected, hanging up...It does work...

"Hello...?" she caught the next in series... "Oh, hello...Yes, I'll try and put you through again...Yeah..." curt tone... "It is me...And can I say, thanks for all the help you gave me back in Sunnydale...Just a minute..." she pressed a button...

Dum...dum...dee...da...dum...She eyed the blinking light on her console...

Dum...dum...She observed her nails carefully...Dee...da...

Still...I am a professional...With soul...

She sighed and pressed another button...

"Angel?...She's back on line 3...You want me to tell her to get lost again?..."

I'm so sorry...Mr. Angel is so very busy what with the reorganization and all...she mentally rehearsed...

"Oh?...You sure?...Oookkk...Will do..." she frowned at the phone but pressed the button on line 3...Then held the other lines...

"Mr. Angel..." she told the mouthpiece...

Hmmn...She eyed the phone in her hand...

Just because I have a soul doesn't mean I can't have a little fun...She plugged in her headset and putting phone down in cradle, pressed a button...

"Well, Buffy..." Angel's voice... "I'm really sorry but it's true... I am very busy with the reorganization..."

Thanks, Boss...Harmony grinned...

Always great to have back-up from one's superior...

"And I've already told Giles...I can't..."

"Angel..." Buffy's voice, plaintative...

"Buffy, you have 20,000 plus Slayers available...What do you need me for?...And you've got His Benevolence on your dance card...Hmmn?...Really?...Well, ok...On your side...Just a minute...Harmony, get the hell off this line..."

Shoot...She pressed the line button and the light went out, unplugged the headset, and glancing around out at the hall before her office...Only workmen moving about on reconstruction tasks...Carefully slid her chair closer to the door to Angel's office...Putting her blood glass to the door, ear pressed against the bottom of the glass...

"Well, tell him I'll look forward to reading his latest..." Angel's faint voice... "Buffy, I understand that but I have responsibilities, too...Even if my books aren't vital to restoring the world's spirit, I have a major business to rebuild and redirect toward the Light side...People depending on me for their livelihoods..."

"That's not fair, Buffy...Most of these folks didn't even know what the firm was up to on the darker side of the balance sheet...And some of them were victims whom we've restored or are rescuing..."

Damn tootin'...Harmony glared...

"Hell, Wolfram-Hart ran hospitals and charitable institutions too, you know...And on top of that I have a son and a fiancee..."

Nina will appreciate the upgrade...Harmony thought...

"Yes, fiancee...No, it doesn't bother her...As a matter of fact she's very understanding, mainly 'cause she has her own troubles...Yes, Willow told you right, a werewolf...Pardon me?..." cold tone...

Whoops...Harmony listened intently...Always suspected Summers had an intolerant streak...

"That's not very nice, Buffy...Why is it you Slayers and your Watchers have this habit of always blaming the victim?..." Colder tone...

Long pause...

"Ok..Fine, forgotten...Yes, she is a wonderful person...In fact right now she's pouring through the old records we secured, looking to see if there's a way to keep Angelus away forever...And find herself and maybe Oz a cure...You and Willow do remember Oz?..."

"Well, he'd love to hear from you two... Anyway, Buffy...I don't see...No, I didn't mean anything...I know you were busy saving the world...Of course I did find time to see you after your mom died...Not to mention coming to Rome when I thought the Immortal was bad news..."

"All right, fair enough...I wasn't much help after you resurrected...Look, I wasn't meaning to reproach you either...Buffy, the bottom line is that my precious ass is at least as precious to me and some folks here as His Benevolence's and your Slayers'...Plus they need my signature on the paychecks...But I would be happy to see if any of my people would be willing...What?..."

"Oh?...Yes, it would be really nice if some Champion were at hand to help you out in this crisis..." he said, drily... "Yeah, it's a pity William's gone for good..."

Oh, please...Harmony frowned...

"Rumors?...What 'rumors'...?"

"Well, Buffy...As head of a major corporation I have to tell you as one CEO to another...You can't gamble on 'rumors'...What?..."

"Oh...Andrew said that, did he?...Well, you know Andrew...He always struck me as kind of...Say, just when did Andrew say that?..."

"Really?...And you've waited all this time to try and confirm this wild story...?"

"Now, Buffy...Say, would you like to hear another wild rumor?...I've heard the craziest story that those cyborgs sent to kidnap me a while back...The ones who used poor Wes' dad's face and personality for their leader...Were working for your Council?...Crazy, isn't it?..."

"Oh did he?...And you just kinda went along with it, eh?...Thanks for that show of support, Ms. Summers..."

"Fine..." curt tone... "I understand you nearly let the world be destroyed for your little girl's sake...?"

Huh?...Harmony blinked...

"Well, to me, Dawn doesn't exist as your sister...I had all spell traces removed from me years ago for my protection...I don't remember her outside meeting her after I left Sunnydale...For me, she's your daughter...Well, if I ever meet her socially I'll try to do that..."

Dawn?...Oh, right the artificial sister/energy key...

"It's nice you're taking an interest in him, Buffy...He'd've been pleased..."

Long pause...

Oooh...Angel...Harmony sighed a bit...

"Buffy?...I'm sorry...That was a little mean...No, no...Buffy, c'mon...You know he's a survivor...He's fine...Yeah...I wouldn't lie to you about that...He's just fine..."

"Well sure...He's not a monk, Summers...But no one serious that I know of..." he paused...

"Did you get that, Harmony?..." he called...

She moved away from the wall...For a moment...

Then cautiously eyeing the still-closed door moved back...

"Of course she's still listening...Harmony, don't forget the notes for my meeting at 3..." he called...

She managed to repress the urge to "Yeah, boss..."

"He's not going to consider it...'Cause I'm not telling him..."

"No, I won't...Buffy, he doesn't deserve this...He's got a soul...He's not vamp fodder for the grist mill...Plus he has his own responsibilities these days..."

"No, not Dru...Though he did help me rescue her...By the way, please don't let your people kill her when she comes to Rome, I already told Giles she has a soul again and she's just trying to get permission from the Vatican to rejoin her order...Thanks...No, actually...He has a son..."

Long pause...Harmony frowning after a bit...

Boss...That was a little...

"Buffy?...No...Adopted...Yes, adopted...He saved a baby from some demons after his parents offered to sacrifice him...Actually, he does look a lot like him...And he's just a toddler...Will can't just run off and throw his life..."

"Of course he would...He already did...Who do you think came with me to Rome, as if you didn't already know?..."

"Oh?...So now you'll get Willow to do a spell?...He might have appreciated that back when he materialized here..."

"No, I didn't...But I didn't know William then...And I did know Spike..."

"Fair enough...Yes, I was a little jealous..."

"Fine...A lot jealous...But why didn't you come when Andrew found him here?...Buffy, he lay in our hospital for a week with his hands stitched on, because he'd tried to save that crazy woman Dana for your sake as much as his redemption...Why didn't you come then?...Or at least after he came to Rome with me for you..."

"Well, I can tell you why...He was afraid you'd say you were 'glad to see him...But'...And then after Andrew told us you'd moved on..."

"Well, so do we...He, most of all...Anyway, I'll inform my people and if any of them..."

"Some are...Though your Council would have to pay them...They're not in it for the joy of protecting Humanity...Of course some might do it free just to suck up to me or your Council..."

"I told you, no...You want to see him, come over and track him down...It wouldn't be that hard, he's a partner in a multinational corporation that's on the front page of quite a few magazines and newspapers..."

"Yeah...He still writes poetry..."

Long pause...

Sigh...

"Yeah...Of course he does...He always will...But it's not fair of you to..."

"No, I told you...No one else...Seriously, anyway...So, about this crisis..."

"What do ya mean, it's nothing?...Yes, he still writes poetry...Much to my horror..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXX...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (130) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

This one plays with events in London before the action of "Heliophobia"…Although I do plan to tweak that story a bit sometime, this doesn't quite fit but I'm intrigued by some notions, so…

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at ., scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

London…An elegant converted townhouse now the site of a law firm...

"It's very kind of you to show me around, Mr. Knowles…I appreciate it..." Buffy in rather chic white overcoat, green suit, a wan smile to the kindly face of the early-sixties?...she judged…lawyer…Brushing a loose strand from the carefully pinned mass of her hair...

"A pleasure to show it to one of our American side, Mrs. Walthrop… There's so few of the family left around here these days…" he returned the smile, moving to the first door in the second floor hallway he'd led her to…

And a pleasure to encounter such a sweetly old-fashioned type...Haven't seen a young woman wearing hair that way in twenty years, outside of television or movies...Nice to know the US branch has kept the standards up...

Sounds from below, where glancing over the elegant restored railing of the balcony hallway she could see several staff scurrying about below…

She instinctively put a hand to touch…No…She looked…

"Gone?..." she half-whispered…

"Mrs. Walthrop?..." Knowles called to her…

"I…" she looked over the carved railing again…The room was not so crowded but there were carpets laid and hangings of fabric on the walls…Gas lights burning brightly, a candle or two in places…James serving…She gripped the railing…Kneeling…

Had to hide…In a moment she'd be going down…Where all of them…Where he… Was awaiting her…

"Mrs. Walthrop?...Is something wrong?..."

"The lion's gone…" she looked up at him...Blinking a bit…

"Lion?..." he eyed her… "Do you mean the brass one?..." He cocked his head a bit… "It's been sold by the firm to Sotheby's…Didn't quite fit the décor up here…How did you know?..."

"Saw it in a photograph…Back home..." she quickly replied, turning away…

So that's where you stayed…Bitch…she thought…Hiding…While…

She came over to Knowles… "Sorry to keep you waiting…Yeah, my mom had one of it in her old photos…"

"It was a shame to lose it…I would have purchased it myself if I could've afforded it…"

"She used to…My namesake…I think she used to play with it a lot…The lion…My mother told me stories about it…"

"It was a noble beast…" he smiled... "Right out of "Narnia"…Hopefully they found it a good home…I think this room is still not in use yet…" he opened the door…

She moved to the door frame and peered in…Brushing hair back…Always coming down when I wear it this way, she noted apologetically to Knowles…

Dawn's puzzled look the day she came out, hair piled…You look like you're trying out for an old movie…

Henri likes it, she'd told her…Not quite ready to discuss it, then…She looked into the room...

Papa moving me round the floor…I must learn to dance like a lady…Like Mother…She eyed the old rug…

"You haven't changed things…?"

"Not much in here…The wallpaper had to be restored but we were fortunate to find it was still available…" Knowles noted…

I have something to tell you, William…She saw his worried face…Have I done wrong?...His eyes staring up at her from the seat he'd taken on her bed…Nervous that Father would come looking for her…Had to be done quickly…

Henry's found a minister…Who'll do it…Tonight…

Don't you believe me?...She stared at his nervous face…Didn't he?...

I meant every word…I…

Betrayer…Liar…Coward…

You lied to him…You left him…Always…

"It's amazing…" she gave Knowles a smile…Moving slowly about…

But not here…They didn't bring us here…After...

"This was the daughter's room, I believe…Cicely's room…"

"Yes…" she nodded…

He couldn't believe his luck…That she really meant it and…Oh, God…

She put hands to her head…Not again…She closed her eyes…

"No, you don't…" his words lingering…

And I left him…Just as she did…

And now…Now…Her dead hand on his heart forever…She won't let him live…

And I...

No, you don't...The whisper...

Please...Please...She closed her eyes...Oh, God...Please...Just one more chance...

"Mrs. Walthrop?..."

"Sorry…A bad headache…" she put her hands down…

But she still saw him…Burning, alone…And all for…

Well, at least not for Dru…Poor kid…

But not for me…Not really…Not for me...

She calmed...Her face setting...

But it will be for me…What ever I have to do…

I'll beat her...And free him...

"There used to be a back stairway…To the roof…In here…?"

"Yes, it's right up there…Pulls down…" Knowles pointed…

Up there on the roof…The first night?...No, later…I…She wanted to prove a point…Some star that wasn't blue?...

First time he touched me besides taking my hand…Helping her up the stairs…

I stumbled a little…Deliberately, so he'd hold me…

But it wasn't here where they brought us…Her…And…Dawn…

"And there's an old sitting room next door…But that's being replastered…It'll be an office…I'd show you the old master bedroom, Sir Richard's old room but it's in use by one of our seniors…"

"He'd be pleased to know an important man was using it…Sir Richard, I mean…" she replied…

"Yes, I suppose so…" Knowles eyed her… "You've learned a great deal about your husband's family, Mrs. Walthrop. Not that many people know of Sir Richard these days, especially outside of England…"

"My family actually, since I'm an Addams…I mean…" she paused… "I'm a descendant…"

"Yes, I remember now that you'd mentioned it…How did you manage to meet a Walthrop?...Are the families so well known to each other in America?..."

"I guess we kept in touch…Somehow…" she smiled… "I met him at a sort of family get- together one fall years ago…Over time we found out we shared a lot of the family history…" She stared at the closed door to the old master bedroom as they passed…

"That's good to hear…That the family continues to be close in the United States…" Knowles nodded…"I'll have to come over sometime and trace that side…"

"We'd love to have you…Though since my mom died the family hasn't met… But my husband is always ready to tell what he knows of the stories…"

"Indeed…Well, not much more we can see up here…There's an old sitting room that belonged to…"

"Mrs. Addams…" Buffy nodded…Peering into the room…Elegant old wallpaper of green and gold… "You've changed the carpet…" she noted…

"Yes, it was too worn to save…And the pattern couldn't be replicated within our budget…Still, not too off a match, I hope…"

"Very nice…" she stared…

Father kept it so long…Exactly as she'd left it…Wouldn't even let me move a few things…I could see he hated to see me in there…I looked so like…

She blinked hastily…

Fine...Fine, have your fun…But not till we strike a deal, lady…

And Henri agrees…

But we have to be quick…He's human, vulnerable…

And God knows I'm not losing him to some cute girl in LA 'cause he's given up on me…Or Dru changes her mind again…

Dru…

We can agree on that one, can't we…Cicely?...Human or no, Drusilla is not going to win…

Big vows, Summers...But you nearly lost him to her without so much as… Words not deeds…Deeds are what matter…He knew that...

"Deeds…" she whispered…

"Mrs. Walthrop?..."

"Hmmn?...Sorry, I was thinking of Sir Richard…A man of many deeds…"

"Yes, quite…And a tragic figure, at the end, rather…"

"Yes…" Oh, poor papa…So alone…What did you do without even me to ease that loneliness?...

"Wife lost in childbirth…Daughter died as a young woman…"

Like mother, like…

"What, Mrs. Walthrop?..."

She hadn't realized she'd spoken the words…

"I think the daughter…Cicely…Died in childbirth as her mother did…"

"Really?...In childbirth?...I'd known she'd married just before her death but…"

"Her husband…William…Died just before her…"

"Your husband's people…?"

"Yes…His side…I never…" her voice trailed a bit…

"Sorry, Mrs. Walthrop?..."

"I don't know about them…I never asked him about them…My husband…"

"I think one did well in munitions during or before the First World War…A brother of the William who married your ancestor, I believe…"

"I never asked…" Buffy repeated…Nodding vaguely to Knowles' words, brushing hair back lightly…

"It's strange sometimes how little we know about the people we love… Their family histories, their childhood…" Knowles noted kindly…

"The things they had to endure to be with you…" Buffy said quietly, staring at the wallpaper a moment…

"I'm afraid the garden has been built over in front…There once was a fine overlook down that way…" Knowles nodded in the direction of the hallway running toward the front of the house.

"That's too bad…"

"Yes, a pity...But...Too much of an expense for us to maintain, I'm afraid...Would you like to see the lower level?...There's been some work and in fact we just uncovered a little mystery..."

She looked at him...

"Some rooms, sealed off from the current rear of the house...Our architect and I suspect it may have to do with the fact that the Addams' were closet Catholics..."

"The chapel..." she nodded...

"Yes, quite...Even in the nineteenth century it wasn't something every prominent family would advertise..."

I'd've loved to have been married there...But Papa would surely...

So cold there...In the dark...Papa used to tell those stories about the priest they caught in the old manor...

Cold...Dark...But not lonely...

"...but why it would have been sealed up..." Knowles shrugged...

"Lets have a look...If you wouldn't mind...?" she paused, nearly at the stairs...

"Certainly...We will have to be a bit careful...It's still being opened up...But the workmen have put in some lighting... " he waved her on and she continued onto and down the staircase...Passing the busy first floor...Down...

I've felt this before...Once...

But I was digging my way out then, not crawling back in...

Oh, William...Don't abandon me...Not now...

They stood in a large room on the lower floor...Covered gas and plumbing fixtures about...A large old sink to their left...Brick, whitewashed walls...

"Kitchen here..." Knowles waved at the old fixtures... "Just a storage area now...And through here...Laundry room...And..."

He paused at the rear of the laundry...Nothing but file cabinets in it now...She eyeing the wall...Not quite able to stare at it for more than seconds...

"And down here is where they realized the wall had been blocked off and we got permission to pierce the wall..." he waved at a large opening, torn into the wall...He reached to a jury-rigged fixture and snapped a switch...Lights came on in the room beyond...

"Please be careful..." he told her...

"Yes..." she nodded... "I'd better be..."

Here...I'd better be...

She stepped inside, carefully protecting her coat from catching on the torn bricks...

Another large room, not different from the laundry, though fewer fixtures about...

"Back there..." she moved on...Passing into another room...Where a long wall was heavily paneled in carved wood...

"Magnificent isn't it?..." Knowles stared at the paneling... "This must have been the chapel..."

"Yes..." she nodded... "The altar was there...Nothing very big..." she pointed to where a rectangular black space could be seen on the floor...As if something large had been moved away...

"I think you're right...It must have been removed at some point..."

She stared at the long sweep of carved wood paneling...

"This is different..." she touched a large square...Which appeared no different from the rest...

"You think so?..."

"Listen..." she tapped the wood...He came and put an ear closer, imitating her own move...

"Yes...I hear it...Hollow, you'd say?..."

"I think I can..." she carefully pulled at a piece of molding on the panel...Working it gently to the eye but with concentrated, concealed force...

God, I hope I don't...The panel moved back...

"Well, hollow it is..." Knowles stared... "How did you guess...?"

"Mom must have mentioned it..." she said, hurriedly...Pushing the large panel to the side...A space large enough...

"Do you have a flashlight...Or can that reach...?" she indicated a work light hooked to a chain on the brick wall to their left...

"Just a minute..." he moved over to the work light and carefully lifted it off its hook...

"You'd better let me..." she took the light from him and turning, stepped inside before he could protest...

He followed, frowning slightly... "Mrs. Walthrop, please be careful...I..."

He froze at her sharp scream...Not a frightened cry...More like...

Rage...

"Mrs. Walthrop?...Are you all right?..." he came over to where she stood, the light a bit weak for the room's blackness...

"Murder..." she whispered...Staring...

He peering at the large bronze plaque, set in stone into the wall...

"Cicely Anne Walthrop...1857-...My God..." he backed away...

So...There you are...Bitch...She stared...

Poor bitch...So that's what happened to you...That's why you didn't...

"They did this..." she whispered...

Oh, God...They did this...

Giles...Giles...No...

I didn't want to...Believe her...

Giles... All these years...And when he finally freed himself...And you could have told me...

"Buried...Here...?" Knowles shook his head...

"Why?..."

Giles...You...Bastard...Her hands clenching...

You knew...You knew...

That's why...You didn't need to kill Spike...

But William...She put her hands to her face...

"Murderers...All of you..." she whispered...

"Look..." Knowles, touching a lower plaque...

"What?..." she stared blankly...

"Another one...Amelia..." he began reading...

"...Dawn..." she said, staring at the words..."Amelia Dawn Walthrop... 1880-..."

"No death date..." Knowles pondered...

"Yes, there is..." Buffy said quietly... "It was all the same...The birth and death day..."

It was kind of Father, really...To put a proper plaque up...

"Mr. Knowles?...You've been so kind...Could you just let me have a moment here?..."

"What?..." he looked at her, still stunned...

"Just a moment..." she said, her accent rather clipped...Precise... "I'd like to say a prayer or two..."

"Well...Yes...If you'd like...But please, not too long, Mrs. Walthrop...We should get upstairs...I'll have to let everyone know...This is quite a..."

"Of course..." she nodded...Smiling... "I'll be out in just a minute..."

He left her, cautiously backing out...Wiping his brow as he emerged...

So...She eyed the plaques...

Here you are...But thanks to me...And the Benedictine monks...Dawn's free...And you're alone...

"What a fool you were, Cicely..." she told the plaque... "You couldn't even save Dawn...Didn't even manage to stake him..."

This'll be a piece of cake, sweetie...

Though I am sorry for Henri...I think he really did care for you...And he means well...

"But you'll have your chance...I'll keep my end...And when we get him over here...We'll see..."

Just don't count on my playing fair...Cause you've had your chances before, loser...And Buffy Summers has never lost a battle...

"And this..." she felt the chain on her neck and pulled up an antique pendant... "This is gonna be mine fair and square...William's gift to the woman who loves him...And didn't fail him...In the end..."

Sorry...She looked down to Amelia's plaque... "But you're mine as much as hers now, Dawn...And I swear...I'll give you your father back...Whatever it takes..."

"Loser..." she repeated bitterly, eyeing Cicely's plaque... "You won't keep him in there with you, bitch...Cowardly bitch..."

"Bring it on..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXI...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (130) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Office of the CEO, Wolfram-Hart and Associates , October 2003...

"I'll take that..." grab at envelope...

"Buffy?..." Angel stares at the newly materialized figure...

Geesh, that encounter with the First has aged her a couple of years...

"Ms. Summers, what are you doing here?..." Wesley staring...

"Wes..." Buffy nods... "Tell Charley Gunn...Forget the brain boosters...If you really love Winifred, her life depends on it..."

"Buffy...What the hell are you doing here?..." Angel asks... "Is something wrong?..."

"I'm altering the past...For love..." she notes... "Angel...I'm sorry that I let my anger get in the way...I know what you're up to here..."

"What?..."

"I won't let you down next time, I promise...Will and I will be there..."

"Buffy?..." Wesley, shocked... "Are you saying you've altered the timeline?..."

"Hell, yes..." Buffy nodded... "I found out about Cicely, Wes..."

Uh-oh...Wesley gulped...

"But, Ms. Summers...To alter the timeline..."

"Wes...If Star Trek, Inc can do it...I can..." she nodded... "Bye..."

"Buffy?..." Angel blinked as Buffy vanished...Bearing envelope...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (132) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Los Angeles…

Yesterday…

New offices of Angel, Gunn, Walthrop, and Burkle-Wyndham-Price…

"You're really up for this?..." Angel eyes his partner… William nodding…

"Well, I gotta admire you…The Immortal is a challenge…Though it's odd there's been nothing new about the two of them in over three years…" he leaned back in his chair… "But I did think you and Fred-Lyria…"

"I said I hate that name…" Illyria in Winifred form frowned from her seat…

"Fred has a fella waiting, Angel…" Will smiled at her… "I may have been many things in my time but I've never stolen another bloke's girl…"

Angel blinking at that one…Oh, really…?

"…before it was over…Nina doing well at the 'spa'?...Osborne been dispensing useful advice?..." innocently…

"Yeah…Great…" narrow look…

"Anyway…Now we got the Partners finally licked once and for all, I thought I ought to see what's up in Europe with our favorite Slayer…"

"Reports are pretty scarce on her…" Angel shook his head… "I'm convinced she's deliberately been keeping a low profile at least since the Partners tried to grab and enslave those Slayers two years ago…Frankly I wonder if she and the Immortal as a couple was some kind of smoke-screen…"

"All the more reason for me to pay a call on His B…" Will noted… "He'll at least have some answers…And I do have some formidable support…"

"You got him?..." Angel blinked again… "I thought for sure he was dead…"

"Actually he's in our waiting room…Eighty-three years old and semi-retired but still the man to call for a mission like this…" Will noted… "If I may…?"

"I gotta see this…" Angel nodded…

"Harmony…" Will buzzed the intercom… "Send them in…"

"Harmony?..."

"Uh, yeah…" vague reply… Giggling laughter… "Oh, I'm only in my twenties…Even with the vamp body…" to someone…

"Harmony…" Angel cut in… "Would you please send our visitors in?..."

Ummn… "Yes, Mr. Angel…"

A group of five entered…One woman, four men…All a bit on the far side of senior…But all good-looking for their age and extremely well-dressed in suits and lead by a tall man in gray suit…Who, despite white hair and wrinkles had a bearing and projected a general air of confidence and well…

Illyria smiling brightly at his smile…

"Mr. Walthrop…My team…Paul Kinsey, Salvatore Romano, Peter Campbell, Peggy Olsen…"

Slight frown from Peggy…Lord, when is he gonna put me before Pete…

"Mr. Draper…My partners, Mr. Angel and…"

"Hi, Winifred Burkle…" Illyria smiled warmly, hastily offering a hand… Uh… "Burkle-Wyndham-Price…" Draper, warm smile, appraising look…

Sorry, Wes…Just lost it there a sec…

Peter Campbell frowning to Paul Kinsey…Damnit if Draper still hasn't got it…

"You suppose his wife still hasn't caught on since '63…?" he whispered…

"You wanna keep working…?" Kinsey returned…

Salvatore still shaking William's hand…Apparently reluctant to release…

"Well, our campaign…" Draper nodded to Kinsey and Ms. Olsen who pulled folders from their respective briefcases…Romano setting up on a laptop…

"In dealing with your Ms. Summers we thought nostalgia might be the way to go…" Draper noted… "It's delicate…But potent…Screen, please…"

Slide of Buffy facing William in battle appears…

"When I got my first job as a copywriter, I worked for an old Greek named Teddy…" Draper began, exalted look, persuasive voice… "Teddy once told me…"

"He's the best…" Will noted to Illyria…

"Yeah…Shhh…" she said, staring at Draper…

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXIII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (133) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

The City of Angels…One more just arrived…

The night of the epic battle with the combined forces of the Senior Partners…

Now, despite the ridiculous odds at the opening, in full, disorganized retreat to their overloading Hell portal…

An anxious, weary-looking slight blonde-haired figure bending over what appeared to be a heap of debris or garbage covered in gore and a torn black jacket…But which in moving revealed itself to be…

"You're here…" he looked up at her through a world of pain…Recognition of her face slowly coming to him almost as if out of a mist… "You came…"

"Yes…I came…Now lets get you outta here…Are you in a lot of pain?...Can you lean on me?..."

"I'd say I can walk but the leaning thing is too good to pass up…" he grinned wanly…Feeble wave of arms…

She put her arm round him and his arm on her shoulder… "Ok, now…"

He groaned a bit as she raised him to his feet…

Careful…He looks bad…

I know that…

"Will…I'm sorry…" she turned to his battered face, pausing…He saw a tear run…

"Should we stop?...Should I put you down, get some help?..."

My dear God…You are now off the hook for my unjust condemnation, old fellow…He mentally, thankfully prayed…

"No, no…It's fine…Nothing that won't heal in a day…"

"Well, we'll let a doctor decide that…" she said firmly…

"Just don't go…" he looked at her face… "Even if this is just a dream before dying or you're the First or some shapeshifter…"

"It's me, Will…And I won't…"

"Angel...The boy…Lyri…" he looked around…

Lyri?...Is that the…

"They're safe, Will…The human guy…Charlie?..." she hesitated… "He's on his way to a hospital…Dr. Burkle's with him…" she paused again… "Is that her nickname?...Lyri?..."

"Yeah…" he nodded… "From her middle name…"

"Part demon, isn't she?..."

"Since her 'accident', yeah…"

"She was worried about you…But Angel and I told her we'd go on looking…Angel's somewhere about now…I'll see someone lets him know…"

I agree...I like William better…

Will you stop?...

Well, Angel's engaged or something isn't he?...

"That's great…" he was gasping a bit now…

"We'd better get a move on…Unless you need to…"

"I'm fine…Fine, now…"

He went limp and she took him up in her arms…

"Will…Will…"

Oh…Buffy…He's…

Quiet…He'll make it…We're going…

He opened his eyes…

"This one just keeps getting better…" another faint smile…

"I'll get you in now…" she said… "Just hold tight…"

"Forever…" he smiled…

They hurried on through the streets…The night lit up by the fires blazing merrily throughout the area…Consuming cars, buildings, the occasional screaming demon…Rain though was just starting to fall…

Hurry, hurry…

I am…I am…

"Will, are you ok?...Tell me to stop if you need me to…"

"Fine…fine…" fainter…

He's so much more beautiful than…

Yeah, yeah…Don't distract me…God knows what's still out here…I better keep talking…They say it's wrong to let somebody pass out after a head injury…

"Will…I'm sorry I didn't come before…" she spoke to him …

"How…Long…"

"Not long…A month…Andrew told me…"

"Really…" stronger voice, surprised… "Wells held out all this time?..."

Andrew…Anger…

Stop it…Giles told him not to…

"He wanted to tell me…Giles made him keep it to themselves…"

Damn…Is that the word?...Giles…

He was protecting me…He and you and I have a deal…And we are not gonna hurt him…You understand me?...

Yes…Reluctant…

"So, after Rome, eh?..."

He sounds better…Hurry up…

I don't want to hurt him more…

Tell him…That'll cheer him up…

Enough…

"He told me you were in Rome…" blurted…

Hey…What do you think you're doing?...

Sorry…But tell him…

"Did he?...Angel was there too, you know…"

"So he said…"

"Haven't read anything in the mags…How'd it work out?..." he asked, wearily…

See…He thinks…

I know…

"I wasn't with the Immortal, Will…That was a stand-in…An actress Slayer…"

"What?..."

I knew that would cheer him up…Look…

Stop it…

"Giles and Andrew thought I needed protection after Angel seemed to be going with the Partners…She was a very good copy…And was willing to take the gig…Also Giles wanted info on His Benevolence…"

"I rather suspected I was makin' a fool of myself…" whisper…

No…

"No, Will…It was beautiful of you…And Angel…Why didn't you try and…" she paused a second…

"…Punch his lights out…"

Good one…

Thanks…

Faint chuckle from Will… "God knows I wanted to…But I figured…" groan…

"Lets hold up a mo…I need to catch my breath…" she halted… "How are you?..."

Didn't you ever learn any medical procedures?...What do you call it…'First Aid'?...

I don't know anything that'll help here…He's a vamp…He'll either make it or…

"Help!...My William's hurt!..." she screamed suddenly…

"Buffy?..." William in her arms stared up at her…

Stop it…Don't do that again…

He needs help…

We have a deal and you're breakin' it…

Sorry…He needs help…

I know that!...

You don't care…You wouldn't even have come…

That's not true…

You could have come days…Weeks ago…We could've got here before he even…

Shut up!...

"Will, I'm better now…Are you ready to go?...We should get outta here…"

"Your call, love…I'm sure I'll go where you go…"

Move it!...

I said shut up!...But she hurried on…

"Will…Of course I came…But William…" Buffy sighed…

Not now…Buffy…

He needs to know…I won't let him die, thinking…

"I understand…" he said quietly… "I'm just glad you came…"

You told him you loved him…

I do…In my way…

"I'll always love you, William…"

In my way…Sarcastic…

Stop…

Where I come from…

You can do as you please…But here, you follow my lead…Or else…

Take me to Drusilla as soon as we get William safe…The Council's got her in confinement now…

You can't deal with a vamp…

I'll guide her…It'll save lives…Besides, she may opt for soul recovery…

Dru?...Please…

My mission with you is done…I have enough information…

Great, then you can go home…

"Leave me here, love…" whisper…

What?...Dual voices in head…

"I've no great wish to hang round…Let me go and see if I've made enough points to reach Heaven…"

"William, be quiet…"

"There's nothing for me here, Buffy…I have family in the afterlife…Just put me down and promise to think kindly of me…I'll be fine…"

Great job, Slayer…Sarcastic voice…

"No…" she replied to him…

"I'm not your burden, love…Let me go…" he feebly struggled…

"I can't…" she replied… "I won't…Besides, we're almost there…"

"Fine…" he sighed…

"I take it back…" she said, hastily…

"Sure…" he said, quietly… "I've never held you to…"

"No…That's not what I mean…"

"Buffy…We've never lied to each other…"

You didn't stop me…

No…I didn't…But leave this to me…

"I wanted to stay…At Sunnydale…" she said…

"That's not what I wanted, Slayer…"

"Why didn't you come to me?...Were you afraid?..."

"To death…Undeath…"

I see them…

Yeah…

"There's the disaster team…" she told him… "Just a little longer…You'll be fine…"

"Sure…"

"Give a girl a chance, Will…This is huge, you know…"

"Buffy…Don't…I'm sorry…I won't do anything…Just don't…"

"No, we love you…!"

"Well…Thank the Nibs for me…"

Damnit, I said!…

Sorry…

"We've gotta talk, Will…When you're better…Please…"

"Ok…"

I still say, take me to Dru if you aren't gonna…

Shut…The…F…Up!... She halted, nearly stumbling with him…

"Slayer?..." Will looked at her…

"Ummn…Sorry…Not you…"

"That was internal…" he said…Staring… "I'm still demon enough to sense that…When you shout at least…And I thought I heard…Whispering…Who's in there with you?..."

Oh-oh…Say, he's good…

I'll have to tell him…

Ok…Happy tone…And tell him I'll gladly take him off your hands…

In a whatever you use for a farm animal's eye…

"Yeah, there's someone else in here…" Buffy sighed…

"Not demon…I think…" he looked at her face…

"May I present my guest…Sorta…Malica…My visiting thing from another world…"

"Call me a visitor from Planet X…My people don't like to give away our stellar position till we know whom we're dealing with…" sheepish smile on Buffy's face…

"She's not in control…Just along for the ride…" Buffy explained as he frowned… "It's a deal between her folks and the Council…We were looking for new allies and they wanted more info about Earth…"

"I'm sorta an explorer and ambassador all rolled up in one…" she continued… "But like Buffy says, I'm not running her…" warm smile…

"I volunteered…We were worried what with some of the new Slayers turning to evil and Angel maybe lost to us…" Buffy shrugged…

"And our people were worried about your darker forces here…Some of them have been colonizing out in the Galaxy, you know…"

"I see…I guess…" Will stared…

"I'm not Evil, Will…Buffy can oust me at any time…But we oughta get you to the hospital…And let Angel know you're ok…"

"It really is ok, Will…"Buffy nodded… "But she's right, lets get you in, ok?...Then we can talk…"

"Dru's been caught…" she added hastily… "So if things don't work out…"

"That 'ousting' is starting to sound good…" Buffy said, coldly…

Just making my case, Slayer…

"I guess…I'm…Flattered…" Will blinked…

"You're the most wonderful creature I've ever…Jesus!..."

Like I said, Slayer…

"Very flattered…" he grinned…

"She didn't make me come, you know…" Buffy, grousingly…

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXIV...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (134) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

UCLA subcampus …Evening adult extension class…

"Lit 311… "Shakespeare, Swift, and Joyce…A brief tour…" written on the large chalkboard at the auditorium hall's front…Thirty-seven students scattered about the only room available…

"The word known to all men…" written and underlined on the board…The instructor eyeing the class as best he could, given the scattering…A few, mostly women concentrated in the first two rows…A number clearly in hiding in the sides and rear…

"Right then…Nice to see a few of you have returned…To return to the theme we began at the end of class Tuesday… '…the word known to all men…' in 'Ulysses'…We've established from the earlier passage in the National Library scene that the word Stephen wishes from his mother's ghost… '…the word known to all men…' is love…"

Oh, yeah…One young brown-haired woman in front row nodded eagerly at the young teacher, rather too-good-looking for such a class despite his sedate beige suit pausing before her…

That's that word…

"Now the lines we discussed confirming that from the passage include a line conjoining two phrases from Thomas Aquinas's 'Summa contra gentiles', namely distinguishing between two forms of love…That unselfish love which in the first six words 'amor vero aliquid alicui bonum vult' genuinely wishes another's good and the selfish desire of one to secure pleasure for him- or her- self 'unde et ea quae concupiscimus'…"

"Jesus…" one young man in the back, left side, reasonably secure from the teacher's direct attention, whispered to the girl next to him…She even better hidden by a cement pillar… "He's giving us Latin now?..."

"Shut up…" the girl whispered back…

The man frowned but, noticing that despite the distance the young brown-haired teacher was now clearly eyeing him, was silent, pulling back a bit in his chair…

much for that…Girl's cute but just a bookhead…Like a lot of the girls in this damned class, he noted to himself…

Ah…Sides, she's wearin' a wig…Probably got cancer or something and she's all "soulful"…Not worth the trouble…He resumed the doodling in his notebook he'd been at since the class' start…God, did Jackie steer me wrong on this class… 'You'll get good lines to pick up girls', he said…

Uh-huh…What…Am I gonna quote Latin in a bar?…And all the good girls exceptin' Ms. Snotface here are down there droolin' at the guy…

"So we see the larger implications of 'Ulysses' follow from the accord of Bloom and Stephan Dedalus about love. If we consider the book as a whole, the theme of love will be seen to pervade it… 'Love's bitter mystery', quoted repeatedly from Yeats's poem 'Who goes with Fergus?' appears repeatedly, primarily as the song Stephen remembers having sung to his mother on her deathbed. Although Buck Mulligan is the first to quote the poem, he can't understand it, being a spirit that always denies. It's also alien to the experience of our womanizer Blazes Boylan. Yet Bloom understands it, and so does Molly, and both show us that they cherish moments of affection from their lives together as crucial points from which to judge later events."

Pen drop by a very young brown-haired woman in large hat, barely out of her teens if that, seated next to the woman in wig…She leaned to pick up the pen, holding hat firmly…

" …In the last episode of the book, Molly Bloom, after some equivocation between her physical longing for Boylan and her thoughts of Bloom, comes down firmly on the side of Bloom and of their old feelings for each other. 'Ulysses' ends in a vision of reconciliation rather than of sundering…"

Sound of book hitting floor…Hasty grab by woman in wig…

"Joyce, following his master, Dante, has made the case for love…Love in its various forms, sexual, parental, filial, brotherly, and by extension, social…Obliquely, to preserve the novel from didacticism or sentimentality…Like Dante, he tells us that affection between human beings, however transitory, however qualified, is the closest we can come to paradise…"

Oh…Yeah…Collective sigh from various women and men across the large auditorium…Gazes fixed on the teacher…He, catching, just a bit disconcerted for a second…

Ummn…He caught sight of the young woman usually hidden by the pillar…She staring back a moment, then pulling up her copy of 'Ulysses'…

"Ummn…Yes…That this affection may at times lose its force does not invalidate it…Dante claimed that Adam and Eve's paradise lasted only six hours and Proust reminds us that the only true paradise…" he stared again, a moment…

"…is the one we have lost…But, the word know to all men has been defined and affirmed, regardless of whether or not it may be subject to diminution…"

"Say, he's good…" Dawn hissed…Pulling hat down as the instructor eyed her as well…

"He went to Cambridge…" Buffy replied, a tad proudly, adjusting her brunette wig…

"How do you spell 'Aquinas'?" she whispered…

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXV...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (135) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

"Are you sure?…" Angel eyes William…

"Pretty sure…" sigh…

"Really…?" looks over to group of assorted demons, vamps, occasional well-heeled corporate human types…All clustered rather respectfully about a slight blonde female of human aspect, in rather dashing red and black ball gown…Hair elegantly piled, with tiara…

That look a somewhat more difficult thing to do that one might imagine… Both of our heroes currently swinging upside-down, bound and hanging from cables…Though only about twenty feet up…

"Angel…Don't be a putz…" another sigh… "She might be annoyed with us, want us out of her life, but even she wouldn't have us in this position…"

Hmmph…Angel shakes head…

And they claim he got to know her better than me…

"Boys…You comfortable?…" Grinning image of Buffy Summers in gown staring up at them…

"Only thirty minutes till dawn you know…I hope the…Suspension…Ain't killing ya…"

Hee…Chuckle…

"Watch…" Will hisses…Giving final rub to loosened shoe on right foot… Which dropped toward the ground…But, to Will's startled surprise…

"Ow!…" the figure howled, jumping back…

Right…Angel, smug look to his swinging…and twisting, slowly in the wind, partner…You know her so well, don't you?…

"It can't be…" Will blinked… "She must have found a way to go solid…"

"Jerk!…" she picked up and threw the shoe, missing him…

First or no, she throws like Buffy…Angel thought…

"Lower them!…" she cried, waving to the hulking demons demoning the pulley system to which their cables were attached…

The boys were lowered slowly until their heads were just above hers…

"Nice touch, girl…" Will, pleasantly… "How'd you manage corporeal?… Lindsay make a deal with you or something?…"

"That's some way to treat your girl, Walthrop…After she's done so much for you…" grin…

"She's gonna give the speech now…" Angel noted…

"Ah right, the Speech…Remember when I was Evil?…I never wasted time with the Speech…Or, the Plan…" Will, nostalgically… "Just grabbed what I needed and came in, fangs out…"

"Are you interested in why I'm going to kill my lovers or not?…" she fumed…

"Girl…Why are you playing this broken record?…" Will did his best to shake head… "We've met, remember?…Or did our destroying you and your army leave you with amnesia?…"

Lovers…She did say…Lovers…Angel noted to himself, pleased…

Not that I need another girlfriend right now…

"You just saw proof I'm the real Buffy…"

"Please…"

"Fine…" she came to him, waved to the demon crew…

He was lowered by a foot…And gasped suddenly as she grabbed and kissed him…

Mmmppphhhff…

She let go…Arch look…

"Was that a trick?…Or real tongue…?"

I did not need to hear that, Angel thought…

"Lovely…Come on…Buffy would join the Partners and overactingly want us dead…Why?…"

"Ah…" grin… "Now I got your curiosity…"

"That was sarcasm, girl…"

"Oh…" slightly crestfallen look…

"Still as we've nothing to do till sunrise…And you obviously are desperate to tell us all…" Will paused…

"That's making a girl feel wanted…"

"You're not a girl…And you're not Buffy Summers…But…" vague hand motion… "Give us the Speech, if you must…"

"I am Buffy Summers…" she frowned… "Of course…I'm the First, too…" she resumed her grin… "And all thanks to my dear Willy-boy…"

"I think she's telling the truth, Spike…" Angel frowned…

"Shut up, you pointy-haired idiot…" she glared…

"Though you are quite correct…"

"Crap…" Will sneered… "You vs. the Greatest Slayer of Them All?…Who whipped your lil' ass thoroughly last time?…"

"I did it for you, Will…" she glared… "And some thanks I get…Betraying everyone and thing I hold dear…Letting the First crawl right back into the world through me…"

"Which of course was always my real plan…" grin… "Though I was willing to give Caleb and the Uber-vamps their shot…"

"Uh-huh…"

"You don't believe me?…Geesh…Angel?…You believe me, right?…I sense it's kinda tearing your guts out…That I'd do something so incredibly…"

"Stupid?…" Will, politely…

"…I was gonna say self-sacrificing…" she frowned… "But fine, 'stupid', if you like…"

"You?…For him?…"Angel stared…

"Bw…Ha, ha, ha…" both Unmen burst into laughter…Rapid swinging and twisting…

"Jesus, guys…" she stared at the two rather dizzy vampires… "Even I can get that this was an incredible act of Love…"

"Buffy coming to LA with a hundred Slayers would be an incredible act of love, girl…" Will smiled… "She don't do possession…"

"She's been possessed…Angel, tell him how I got possessed by a ghost that time…What?…" she looked over to where a demon was waving an arm at her…

"Great…We only got ten minutes now…" she sighed…Damn…

"Better move it along, girl…" Will, helpfully…

Oh, fine…She waved over a demon from the pulley team…"Eh, have the guys bring them into that big warehouse over there…" she pointed…

Eh…Seven feet of something like fossilized pus…Nodded and complied…

"Must be quite a Speech…" Angel noted as the two, still hanging, were towed along toward and then into the large warehouse…

The LA block around them utterly devastated, burning …

"Ok…" the First/Buffy?…nodded…Smile to the boys now swinging rather widely, thanks to the dragging…

"Hey, stop them would you, I'm getting dizzy watching them?….Thanks…So… Now we got a little more time…"

"We should finish them now!…" one of the Senior Partners…One of the humanish, corporate types in suit…Insisted…

"I'm running this show!…" Buffy/The First?…glared… "And I'll say when we destroy my boyfriends!…Hey…" she grinned… "The ultimate female fantasy, eh guys?…"

"Right…So why don't you cut us down and let your ex-s…"

"Ex-?…Will?…Are you dumping me, now?…" she frowned… "Without even hearing the story of what I/she did for you?…"

"Buffy is with the Immortal and has moved on, girl…And I'm good with that…But kudos for a good try…"

"That miserable Andrew!…" she cried… "I shoulda killed him in Rome before I slipped out of England…Damn him and his little jokes!…Well, don't worry Will…I'll have a Slayer disembowel him before the next sunrise over there…"

They trust me kinda blindly, she explained… "Most of them…So what I say goes, even if it might sound a little Evil…Stupid, but along with my slightly diminished but still pretty fair persuasive powers…You know, Will…And that's of course how we'll rule the world through the Slayers…"

"So I'll just tell one of them Andy's returned to Evil, gut and stuff him'…No problem, Will…"

"Uh-huh…"

"I got Giles and the whole remaining Council under Slayer lock-and- key, awaiting trial and execution on my return…" she noted… "You can magine…I told the girls he didn't say a word about you to me, letting you and Angel die when we couldn't get to LA in time to save you … Wanted to control us forever like they always did…That sort of thing…"

"Sure…Fine plan…"

"Angel?…" she turned to face his face, hanging about two feet above her… "You believe me?…"

"She has been possessed, Will…And it sounds like a Partners' scheme…"

"Yeah?…Lemme get this straight?…You got Buffy to just hand over …"

"For you…" she insisted, eagerly…

"For me…Right…And she fell for it, let you in, and you're now about to do global mayhem in her boots…And this was the real plan all along… Not Uber-vamp uber alles…?"

"The Ubies vs. the US military…In daylight?…Come on, Will…Give me credit for half-a-disembodied brain?…A few smart bombs on wherever we were hiding by day and it's over… "

Point there…Angel noted…

"Hans Christian Anderson couldn't have written a more tragic one, girl… I'm weepin'…Now can we cut the crap and you do whatever you plan to do with us?…You know by now, the Council's gotta have figured out Angel's plan or at least noticed your handiwork in LA…And Buffy and several thousand Slayers must be on the way…"

"Some guys…" she glared… "You don't believe I cared enough?…You think I took up with His Pompousity?…That was Andrew's plan to divert attention…That was an actress-Slayer you saw with him…You know, the one who did those Scooby Doo movies…"

She did look like Buf…And she'd be hard up enough, Angel nodded… And Wells kept that secret from us in Rome?…Andrew Wells?…" Will chuckled…

"Giles told him to…You know how he worships Giles…Besides he thought it was hilarious after the way you left me hangin'…"

Literally, I mean…She noted…"They found me on the end of a rope one day…Too Slayer to choke and not enough knowledge of how to do the neck break so I didn't quite manage it…But while I was in the coma…"

Bwwha…Ha, ha, ha, ha…Angel and Will…

Her face fell…What?…

"Buffy tried to kill herself…Over me?…" Will sputtered as he continued laughing…

"Lady…I take it back…"Angel, chuckling… "I don't believe it…"

"You assholes!…" she shrieked… "William, do you know what I went through after you died?…Again…And when I found out about Cicely…"

This is gonna end badly…I feel it…The Senior Partner who'd spoken up before, hissed to his comrades…

Can't we just blow the building and apologize to her redisembodied lf later?…When she's out of Summers and her fully uncaring self again?…

"Fate Joe…" Mao, his comrade noted… "Fate…"

"Cicely?…" Will stared…

"Well, that's got your tongue…" she noted, crossly… "Yeah, Cicely…"

"Cicely?…" Angel repeated… "Was that the girl you were always going on about but never would go out with Dru to kill?…"

"Yeah…Cicely?…" Will frowned… "Are you trying to say Buffy was jealous of Cicely?…And cut a deal with you 'cause she didn't want me going after her in Heaven or something?…"

"What?…Heaven, No…" she shook her head…

"She went to the archives in London…To look up your last name for a headstone…"

"Nice…Have to thank her…"

"And the idiot Watcher there let her see the files on Cicely Addams Walthrop…Vampire Slayer…"

"What?…"

"Walthrop?…" Angel blinked… "Say, wasn't that your…?"

"William Soames Walthrop…Beautiful name…" she beamed…

"Why would she keep the name?…And what do you mean, vampire-Slayer?…"

"You were married to her?…" Angel stared… "And all that time I thought Dru was being irrational…I mean over her usual…"

"Vampire-Slayer…As in…How could I make such a terribly selfish decision as to love and marry a poor man who'll be vamp-fodder no matter how much I try to protect him…?"

"Really?…"

"You seeing the point at last?…I sent you away to save you…But my Watcher and the Council had other plans…"

"You?…"

"Me…"

"I'm confused…" Angel sighed…

"Like we're surprised?…" she sneered… "Too much blood rushing to that little brain…Guys, put them on the floor…I want 'em both up for this…"

I'm heading home for Hell now…Good luck, boys…Joseph sighed to his mates…Mao and Adolf eyeing each other…

"Maybe we better…" Mao suggested…

"I won't go back from LA…" Adolf insisted… "We must hold every inch of Earth…"

"It didn't work on the Eastern front, Dolf…It won't work here…"

Will and Angel, still trussed up, on the floor now…

"Either of you need some blood…Water…?" she asked…

"A little Marcus would be nice right now…" Angel suggested…

"Funny…" she frowned…Chairs…She waved to her demon crew who brought chairs over…

Thanks…Will told the demon hoisting him into a chair…

"You welcome…" the fur-clad female smiled demurely…Backing off at severe glare from her mistress…

"So where were we?…Oh, yeah…" the First/Buffy? resumed… "So I went to Giles, raging…Cursing…Holding him up by the throat with one hand…Boy, was I pissed…But you remember how he tried to kill you with soul, Will? …Now I knew the real reason he'd done that…And that he'd known about you all along…And that the Council had suspected I'd be back for you… And them…And that Buffy Summers seemed to fit the bill for a Cicely reincarnate very nicely…If not brunettely…"

"Wait…"Angel frowned… "So that means…"

"I was looking for a soulful…If not necessarily souled vamp…When we met…" she nodded… "And that the only thing really between you and me, ex-beau, is that you created the thing that killed my husband…"

Very disturbing turn of events for Buffy…As you can imagine…She noted to the boys…

"Caused the death of her husband…The condemnation of her husband…Dated the thing that helped to kill him…Let the Council hoodwink her again… Failed to help him when he was right in front of her, suffering, for years…Even when he got enough of himself back to love her…Even when he got his soul back without her help…And to top it all off…"

"You can see how this could lead to a major shift in thinking on her part…" she noted…

"She'd never sell out…Not even…"

"Oh, God, Will…You know me well enough to know I thought I could handle me…She/I offered a chance to save you if I agreed to let her have some access…I took the deal and she/I told me where you'd been all this time and the danger you were in…Thanks to our wanna-be Christ figure here…" glare to Angel…

"Unfortunately…Once you let me in…I've a way of taking root…I played the waiting game and didn't push…And over time her anger and sense of betrayal…And Giles' efforts to prevent me from helping you…Pushed me into the driver's seat…" she beamed…

"So I owe it all to my hubbie…"

"Great…" Will frowned… "Brilliant, Cicely…Another fine plan…I think I want a divorce…"

"What?…" her face fell…

He grabbed her, ropes loosened round him, falling off…

"Hey…" she and Angel startled…

"I met Houdini once…Got him a genuine séance with his mother in exchange for a few tips…" he noted…

"So dearest…I guess this means you can die now…" he told her…Rope about her throat…

My minions'll kill you!…" she cried…

"Ok, ma'am!…" Eh nodded…Waving to archers…

"Hold it!…" she screamed…

Fine…Eh frowned…

Ever since she went solid she's been so changeable…

"How much longer….?" Will hissed…

"Fifteen, I think…Xander's bringing them in from the south of the city…" she whispered back… "God, did you know all the time?…"

"Pretty much after you didn't kill us right away…You know you're playing with fire, girl…It is the First…"

"Thanks…" whisper… "Nice to get a little respect after the way…"

"I can hold her till the exorcism…" Buffy nodded…

"At least let me kill my partners…" she whispered… "They persuaded me on this one…"

"And Buffy promised I could stay for the wedding…"

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXVI...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (136) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

"You're out of your Undead mind..."

"Poof, we've no choice...We've got to take a risk..."

"A risk, Spike?...This isn't a risk...This is sheer suicide..."

"I like that...Angel, I happen to know what I'm about..."

"Right..."

"This is a sure-fire plan, Angel...And we can't go on like this, waiting for the inevitable end..."

"We've survived up to now...Illyria?...Gunn?..."

"Winifred..." Illyria corrected from her chair where she sat, decked out in Fredian dress...Extremely Fredian... "I don't mean to hurt anyone but you...Guys...All agreed..."

"Sorry, Winifred..." Angel sighed... "But you agreed this idea is insane?..."

"I don't know Angel..." Charley shook head...Will brightening at the support... "William may have something here...'Twilight' made a fortune and is still raking it in..."

"The last of what we scraped from the collapse of Wolfram-Hart after the LA battle?...On a book?...By him?..." Angel frowned at William...

"A book about zombies...?" he stared...

"Not just any run-of-the-mill zombies, Angel...Heroically redeemed, world-saving, romantic zombies..." Will noted, rather proudly...

"Oh, come on..."

"It's the untapped market, Liam..." Will enthused... "And best of all...Our main character is a woman...A heroine..."

"A zombie woman..."

"An Undead Heroine...Seeking her lost love..." Will beamed... "Defeating Evil while seeking to prove her regained...Well, semi-...Humanity...Repairing the damage she's done to others while unable to help herself...And of course the romantic quest..."

"Repairs the damage she's done...You mean, in eating brains?...Just how does she manage to repair that?..."

"We drop the brain-eating...It's passe anyway...She feeds off bioenergy..."

"Great...So how does she repair bioenergy sucking?...Her victims are dead, right?..."

"Ah, but in what form of dead are we talking?..."

"Ok...She goes round like some Undead Earl, what, finishing off her victims who are also zombies?..."

"Well...Sort of...But she restores them to a kind of normal life..."

"As domesticated zombies...?"

"I know of a lot of people who'd take their beloved ones back in any form not involving Evil and killing..." Will noted...

"And the sappy quest...?"

"I thought it romantic..." 'Winifred'/Illyria, a bit miffed... "William modeled the quested one on my Wesley..."

"Oh?..."

"Ummn..." William eyed Angel... "Yeah..."

"Oh...I see...So then the 'object of zombie desire' doesn't have blonde hair?..."

"No, certainly not...Brown hair..."

"And he's a scholar...From the nineteenth century..." 'Winifred'/Illyria noted...

"Really...?" Angel, thin smile at Will...

"Poet, by any chance?..."

"A very fine one..." she nodded... "Wesley did write poems, didn't he?..."

"All English scholarly types write poems, love..." William, hastily... "Of course, the character incorporates many different people...But the main thing is it's a star-crossed romance...That's always sure-fire..."

"But he's dead too, right?...Nineteenth century and all?..."

"Oh, yeah...But see, his soul hovers about, seeking to aid the love who killed him...Involuntarily of course...In her more Evil days..."

"Uh-huh..."Angel, frowning... "Who's gonna find a dead poet and a lumbering female zombie heroine an attractive couple...Wait?..."

"She's a Slayer, isn't she?...A zombie Slayer?..."

"We don't use the word...An Undead protector of Humanity..."

"I still see potential, Angel..." Charley noted... "We already have a studio interested..."

"What?..."

"I'm tellin' you, Angel...The gravy train is pulling up to our battered and weathered door..." William nodded... "We'd best be ready to hop on board...What?..." he eyed Angel's somewhat downcast face...

"It couldn't be vamps...?"Angel, reluctantly... "I mean, vamps are big now...At least on the screen..."

"Vamps have had their day...But they're passe now...We want to be on the cutting edge of the next wave...I see a TV series...The first season is all about our heroine's redemption..."

"From eating brains..."

Frown...

"Ok, from sucking bioenergy...And how does a zombie find redemption...Not to mention enunciate dialog besides...'Grrr, arrgh'..."

"Karloff's monster did it with hands and 'Grrr'...A fine actress...I'm thinking Hathaway, maybe...Can do the same...Besides a brilliant noble physician helps her recover some of her faculties midway through the story..."

"Well?..."

"Awful as it is..." Angel frowned... "I suppose..."

"Gunn, get Lorne on the phone and tell him we're in..."

"Great...So, who do we cast as her son?..."

"Son?..." Angel sputtered... "The zombie heroine has a son?..."

"Thought you'd like that touch..." Will nodded...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXVII...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers?

Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you

no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (137) versions of

events

following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question"

through

to "Not Fade Away" and beyond...

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca

verse at . ,

scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series...

"Shall I cry for you, guys..." mocking tone... "Big tears for my poor

beloved vamps?..."

"So she's the First?..." Angel looked over to William...Wrenching at

the chain collar holding his head...

"That's her..." Will nodded...

"Or maybe I'm the real deal...Ashamed of the two you Undead filth

polluting me..." sneer... "Glad to help out old enemies just to be rid

of you both...Lovers..." smile...

"She's a hair chunkier than ours..." Angel noted...

Blink...What...?

"I'd have to agree..." Will, thoughtfully looking her over...She in

rather elegant, though tasteful, coat, blouse, and slacks...

"I'm exactly...F-you two creeps!..." raging fume...Red face...

"Enjoy yourselves, losers...The dawn cometh..."

"Losers, eh?..." Will grinned... "I dunno...We were outnumbered 4000-

to-1 at the start and even with Illyria and young Gunn out to get him

to the hospital, the odds are still about the same...I'd say we done a

souled vamp's job..."

"And you've 'conquered' what?...Two blocks of LA?..." Angel added...

"Choice blocks, I grant you...But your Partners already owned most of

it..."

"The first step on my...Er, our..." nervous glance to Mr. Joseph and

the other Senior Partners frowning a bit at her presumption... "March

to victory..."

"Looks more like Hitler's march to Stalingrad..." Will noted... "Hell,

the US military hasn't even moved in yet and half of your guys won't

survive the dawn...The rest are mostly busy eating each other..."

Did he have to bring up that damned city?...Dolf, the Second Partner,

standing next to Joseph, sighed... Fine, I shouldn't have gone for the

Caucasus and the Volga at once...

"Not to mention..." Angel began...

"Buffy...And her Slayers...?" resumed mocking sneer... "You aren't

telling me you still think she's coming for you?...To rescue your

pointy-haired little head...And make the world safe for more of the

worst poetry ever written?..."

"I rather liked 'To Cicely' if you must know..." Angel replied...

Why, Angel...Will started...Trying to look over...

"What?..." sneer dropped...Head shake...

"I'm no expert...But I thought it was nice..."

"Geesh...Now I really can kill you with a light heart...You deserve to

die..."

"Whatever...As for Buffy, I'm not expecting her now..." Angel, unable

to resist a quick glance over the heads...Or whatever rested highest

on the demon bodies...Of the horde surrounding them...He and Will

chained and strapped to large poles on a raised platform... "...But

when she gets word, she be on her way...If there's anything left of

you folks to mop up..."

"But not for you!...For neither of you!..." raging voice...

"She didn't know..." Will nodded... "It's cool...We're fine..."

"Oh, come on..." narrow look... "You think Andrew Wells could have

resisted telling her for thirty seconds when he got back?..."

"Lady...I don't know..." Will sighed... "But however it was with

her...It's fine with me..."

"Right..." sneer... "You've moved on...Like she has..."

"Nah..." Will shook his head... "That was nonsense...I'll always love

her...But it's fine...I love her, that all that matters...She's not

obliged to love me..."

"And I...' Angel began...

"...'Have a girlfriend', we know...Too bad she's a dog...Probably in

heat with some other guy right now..."

"Wolf..." Angel corrected...

"Idiot...!...Idiots, the two of you...You die for

nothing!...Nothing!..."

"Not at all..." Will smiled... "We're dying as

heroes...Souled...Tickets to Redemption City stamped and our families

proudly waiting..."

"Who?...Your dead vamp mother, you wuss freak?..."

"Indeed...It'll be great to see Mum again...God, if my soul had sunk

down to despair in Spike I might never have had the chance...And

there'll be a few good friends, I'll be glad to see...And I'm sure a

lot of wonderful people to meet..."

"You've gotta come over to meet my family..." Angel noted... "My dad's

a bit stiff but Heaven has probably unbent him...And my mother's just

a angel...And we're talking ole Irish hospitality...Including the best

porter in the universe...We O'Connors were famous for it..."

"A pleasure, indeed...Many thanks...And you've got to visit with

us...Mum will be pleased that I finally did acquire a brother at

last..."

"Why, many thanks, Will..."

"Just no hugs in front of her...Victorian London you know..."

"Pardon me for interruptin' this tender, gay moment..." fuming

voice... "But maybe there is no Heaven..."

"Sure there is..." Will grinned... "You prove it by coming in from

Hell...Besides, our souls have some sensation of it...But look here,

girl..." he eyed her angry face... "Don't you ever ask yourself, what

am I doin' this for?...Seems to me you don't get much out of all

this..."

"What...I...I triumph over souls every day..."

"As vapid mist?...Hell, even as Spike and Angelus we had more

fun...Don't you ever wish for more, lass?..."

"Does seem like kinda pointless..." Angel agreed...

"The joy of watching you fry is all the pleasure I need!..." she

glared...

"Fine then..." Will smiled... "Go nuts...So, Angel...You think your

family's got a place like the ole manor Angelus used to tell me

about?..."

"I'm sure of it..." Angel nodded...

"She won't come!..." scream... "Guards!...Make them suffer!..."

Does seem a bit...Hollow...This one... Joseph sighed,

watching...Looking at his watch...

Half or more of our army from Hell thrown away and they're right...We

can't even stay past the dawn...

Oh, well...Evil triumphs again...The usual, transitory way...

Whoopie...

Demon guards approached the two with various implements of

torture...Clumsily removing them from sachels and boxes...One hulking

yellow mass of rotted tissue looking round for the instructions to his

set...

"Come on, come on!...It's dawn in fifteen minutes...!"

"Ma'am..." one guard hissed... "It'll take twenty minutes to properly

heat the irons..."

"Smash their feet, flay their flesh...Anything...!..."

Hmmn...William eyed the demon setting to work...

"You know, Angel...I think we're in that state badly wounded soldiers

go through...You know, where the shock keeps them from feeling

anything..."

"I'd say so..." Angel nodded as a demon hacked at his foot with an

ax...

"What are you talking about?..." the First looked at them... "This is

hideous torture...You, flay harder!..." she shook an incorporeal

fist at a guard who sighed and attempted to comply...

"There's many a famous account of it, girl..." Will noted... "But if

you like, just say God or our mums just kindly decided to make our

last moments easy...Say, Angel...You know what I'm really pleased

about, I mean what with the soul recovery and all?..."

"What's that?..."

"Christmas...I can enjoy it again...The right way I mean, not via

tormenting poor folks...Not that I mean to step on anyone's religious

toes here..." he looked over the horde...

"Thank you, that's nice of you..." the guard flaying his right leg

paused to look up...

"Don't mention it...You know what I mean, Angel?...It was such a great

time when I was a lad..."

"Best time of the year...Even as Angelus it was my favorite time..."

"Which you hideously profaned...!" scream in his face... "Shame on

your evil existence...!"

"Uh-huh...Angelus was a monster...But, anyway...You're right

Will...And we'll be with the families this year for Christmas...I

wonder if I can get Connor and Nina to do a seance..."

"You could still live!..." she tried... "William...I could be Buffy

for you...We could do our own viciously merry Christmas..." She took

on a new outfit, a Santa suit...

"Cute...But no, thanks..." he smiled pleasantly... "I'm not into an

incorporeally Evil relationship..."

"You could pledge yourselves to Evil again and my Partners could turn

her Evil...You could help..." desperation in voice... "She could still

be yours..."

"Buffy?...Please...Angel, how's about a carol...You know I always

loved 'Good King Wenceslas'...You know a carol about a good man doing

good in the world..."

"One of my favorites..." Angel nodded...

"He had the peasant flogged to death for stealing wood!..." she

cried... "You idiot, William...I'm offering you a chance

here...Angel...?"

"Good King Wenceslas looked out...On the Feast of Stephen..."

"While the snow lay round about ...Deep and crisp and even..."

Sentient members of demon horde starting to join in...To the Partners'

startled rage...

"Brightly shone the moon that night,,,Though the frost was cruel...

When a poor man came in sight...Gath'ring winter fuel..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXVIII...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers?

Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you

no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (138) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

Night of the LA battle…

Hell's favorite watering hole…Where a few of the Undead elite have preferred to wait for the outcome before taking up arms against their treacherous, if disgustingly human-souled, and ridiculously love- besotted brothers…

"Another round for my friend here, pretty one…"

"Watch it, pal." frown. "You know they're waiting for you at Wolfram-

Hart…Everyone's summoned for this one, no exceptions…"

Oooh…The elegantly dressed young(?) man's companions sniggering…

Modern era meets our friend, one noted…The first speaker frowning but

waving the young waitress off. Fine… "Tell the First, I'm not some

lackey to come running…I'll be in at the kill…" He returned to his

companions, they settling down…

"So, Edward, you were saying…?"

"Right…" the tall, dark, handsome if somewhat cadervous fellow to the

side of the elegant, somewhat miffed…No girl does this to me…Undead or

no…fellow nodded, with grin…

"…So I tell her… 'Oh, no, Bella…I'm a…Vegetarian…'"

Chortle…Chuckles from the others, excepting the unimpressed elegant

one…

"And she believes you…?"

"Are you kidding?" soulful look. Batting eyes.

Howls…

"Best of it is…I don't take a thing…I keep it going all summer. Till

finally, she's begging me to take anything I need. 'Oh, Edward…If you

need anything…' "

Howls…

"Not bad…Though I've done better." the elegant visitor from New Orleans nods.

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXIX...

PG?13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan?fic writers, where's your disclaimers?

Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you

no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (137) versions of

events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question"

through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story,

though some

are multipart...)

LA...One hour before sunrise...

The unequal battle of the Partners and Angel's team has reached its

inevitable conclusion...

"Well, that was easy..." Angel notes... "Is our friend in the

ambulance ok?..." he raised his voice to be heard by the police

officer eyeing him from across the prisoner transport van in which he,

William, and a frowning...Why do we not kill these feeble human

warriors?...Toast our victory in their blood...Or at least the demonic

blood of the Partners' army...And go mourn my Wes with a proper

funeral pyre?...Illyria...Sat handcuffed...

"He'll be fine...Just sit tight..." the large woman replied...

"Why do I have to sit on this side?...Can't I sit over with my

husband?..." Buffy, similarly handcuffed with two Slayers by the

officer and two other large and burly policemen, asked, plaintively...

"Lady, I tole you ...You're staying on this side..." the officer

frowned...Eyeing the battered William... "She really your wife?..."

"So she's said..." William nodded, smile to Buffy which was

returned...Angel frowning...

"I still can't believe you jerks kept all this from me..." he

pouted...

"Tell your other lady friend there to sit still..." the female officer

pointed to a squirming Illyria... "I don't need any more trouble

tonight..."

"Illyria...I told you we'll get everything straightened out at the

station..." Angel turned to her... "Just relax..."

"Need to know, Angel..." Buffy replied...Slight frown back... "And you

weren't gonna tell me about Will?..."

"Giles said...When I called him..."

"Since when do you pay attention to anything Giles says?..."

"We worked very well together on this operation..." he noted, a bit

miffed...Hey, Liam is not incapable of team play even if Angelus...

"People..." the officer warned... "Lets can it a mo...We're here..."

The van pulled into a police garage and halted...Rear door opened to

reveal six officers with shields and billy clubs...

"Are they really cops, Slayer Counselor-General?..." one of the other

two Slayers, a tall brunette named Sharon, addressed Buffy...

"If not, aim for the heads..." Buffy hissed... "They're definitely not

vamps..."

"Quiet!...Lets go, people...!" the female officer urged...Tapping

Angel with billy club, indicating he was to stand...

"We can kill them if they beat us, correct?..." Illyria addressed

Will... "It's in the constitution, isn't it?...I think I remember from

my Fred memories..."

"Worse...We can take them to court..." Will noted... "And with the

Partners gone, we have about 3000 unpaid attorneys looking for

something to do..."

"I pity them..." Illyria nodded... Smiling benignly at the policeman

politely offering a hand while keeping his other firmly on his club...

"I'm not tellin' you again, blondey, you keep away from this man!..."

the female officer insisted...

"Hey!...I just wanna walk with my husband!...Lemme go!..." Buffy

yelled... "Will!..."

"It's all right, love..." he called... "Just be patient...I'll get it

all sorted out inside...Ummn..." He turned to the policewoman...

"Officer, I should mention there's a kid at home...In good hands..."

he noted... "But we do need to get home to him...Or at least word to

his sitter..."

"You'll be able to make a call...The rest's up to the judge, sir..."

she shook her head...

"Yeah, he hasn't had time to bond with me yet..." Buffy glared...

"This is crazy...Do you guys know we just saved this city?..."

"Ma'am...A lot of people tell us that..." the policewoman sighed...

"And sometimes it's true...But given your behavior tonight, I would

have serious reservations about letting you care for a kid without

some immediate aggressive behavior therapy...Now, lets go..."

Buffy staring...Open-mouthed...

William looking about, a bit embarrassed...Oddly enough, Angel and the

two Slayers showing the same look...All avoiding Buffy's stare but

Illyria, who frowned...

What is the cause of this behavior?...The Slayer Queen was merely

marking her possession of her mate when the blue warriors arrived...

"Inside, people...Lets go..." the policewoman urged...

"Yeah, we got a special level domestic disturbance here..." one of the

other officers was speaking into his walkie-talkie...

"You want a lawyer..." the policewoman who led the arresting team eyed

Angel as he, the Slayers, Illyria, and William sat in the station

office... "Aren't you head of Wolfram-Hart?...I saw you at the

policeperson's ball last October..."

"Yeah, I've always been supportive of the LAPD ball..." Angel

nodded... "But actually, I'm not an attorney per se...In the strictest

sense of the word as to courtroom law..."

Oh, please...Will frowned...Strictest sense of the word?...I doubt you

can spell 'attorney'...

"When can I make my call?..." Buffy rose...

"Lady, sit down...I'll be gettin' to you, honey..."

"I gotta right to make a call!...Will, tell her I have a right to make

a call.."

"Lady...I don't like your tone..." the officer glared... "You shut up

and wait till we get to you or I will put you in a cell where you can

cool those pretty...Italian?...Boots of yours still we get good and

ready to give you access to a phone...You hear me?..."

"Love..." Will hissed...

"I just wanna call Giles...He'll get this sorted...The Council's got

connections..." Buffy noted, moving to him...

"Did I say you could sit with him?..." the officer eyed her sharply...

"Oh, come on..." Buffy glared back... "Will, tell her to let me sit

with you...

"Girl, take your seat and don't give any more trouble...This is your

last warning..." stern look...

"Buffy..." Will, placatingly...

She frowned but sat...

Just wanna sit by my husband and call my Chairman...she glared at the

officer...Now on phone...

I just saved the world again ya know, ya big stupid...

"Ok..." the officer leaned back, cradling phone...

"The good news is we got confirmation there's nothing more on the

destruction of life and property issues...That's been made to go

away..."

Phew...Angel sighed...

"Seems you W-Hers really do have connections..." the officer frowned

slightly at Angel who gave an innocent smile back...

"Hey, you guys can go now...It's all set on the big charges..." she

addressed the three men and one woman in suits who'd been waiting

silently in chairs when the group had come in...

"The mayor'll be glad to hear that, Cheryl..." one rose...The woman

and remaining men still seated...

"Toodle-loo..." the officer eyed the three seated... "Unless you are

in fact counselors able to represent the folks here?..."

"We're from Washington...We've shown our credentials...We'll leave

when we're good and ready..." the older of the two men, a cadaverous,

icy-looking fellow, frowned at the officer, taking a drag on his

cigarette...

"No smoking in this office, pal...Put it out..." she frowned... The

cigarette-smoking man eyeing her with steely eyes a moment, then

breaking off and putting out his cigarette...

"And I'm waiting instructions from Miss Summers', Miss Gale's, and

Mrs. Evers' employer in England..." the woman, a petite brunette in

tweed, explained politely...

"Do you people mind these guys sitting in?..." the officer eyed Angel

and co... "'Cause if you don't want 'em, they are gone, 'credentials'

or no..."

"It's fine..." Angel nodded... "If your people don't mind, Buffy..."

"Giles sent you, right?..." Buffy addressed the woman who nodded...

"Fine, get us outta here...Will and I have a kid I need to bond with

at home...Are the other guys yours, Angel?..."

"We know each other..." Angel nodded, eyeing the cigarette-smoking

man...Who coolly nodded... And waving to the somewhat harassed-looking

mayor's office official now departing...

"Thanks, Lou!...My best to Hector!..." he called... Yeah,

yeah...Distracted wave as the mayor's aide headed out the double

doors...

Still gotta face those damned reporters and explain how five blocks of

prime business distinct got pulverized while the mayor was on

vacation...the aide sighed...

"Ok...The big ones are gone, as I say... And so far, nobody seems to

have reported any missing persons or zoo animals, so I'll assume it's

only the sort of body parts scattered round Wolfram-Hart Plaza that

are always gone without a trace the next day...And that they'll be

gone by eight am...?"

"Not to worry..." Angel nodded...

"Specimen collection..." the cigarette-smoking man spoke into a cell

phone.. "Wolfram-Hart...".

"You always have to be on your toes in these situations, Mr.

Mulder..." he explained to the young man sitting next to him as he

closed phone...

"I still don't know why you asked me here..." Mulder eyed him... "Who

are these people?..."

"...We'll see..." the officer continued... "But the other matter

remains..."

"If you wish to understand the secrets that have eluded you, Mr.

Mulder..." the cigarette-smoking man noted quietly...Indicating Angel

and the group about him... "You must be prepared to find the answers a

bit difficult to accept at times..."

"Can't we just let 'the other matter' go as well?..." Angel

suggested... "No charges are being pressed..."

"Yeah...Right, Will?..." Buffy looked at William...

Will?...

"Uh, no...No charges..." he nodded...

"That's fine..." the officer nodded in return... "But this is the

third offense witnessed and by state law we have to charge the young

lady..."

"She's the Slayer...The Chosen One...?" Mulder asked... "She was...Now

there are many..." his companion noted...

"I didn't mean anything...Will?...Tell her I didn't mean it..." Buffy

looked at him... "It was just...The way I show how much I care..."

"You beat your husband to show how much you care?..." the policewoman

frowned... "What about the kid you mentioned, he come in for a good

wallop when Mommie wants to say good night?..."

"Hey..." Buffy rose...

"Sweetheart..." Will cautioned...

"That's right, you better sit your ass back down, girl..." the officer

nodded coolly... "Now Officer Manning found you slamming your husband

on the ground and pounding his face when he found you two tonight...In

the midst of a very questionable sit, involving those body parts which

I hope Mr. Angel here is right about disappearing shortly and the

property damage you are very lucky has been made to go away..."

"I was...Happy to see he was ok..." Buffy tried... "See he didn't tell

me he was joining Angel to fight the Partners tonight...I nearly

didn't find out in time...So when I found him, I just wanted to keep

him from getting back into it...And I..."

Maybe I was a leetle upset with him for not tellin' me...After all

we'd been through to get back together and...

"Wait?..." Angel frowned... "You weren't gonna come if he wasn't

there?...You were trying to get him out while we were still likely to

die?..."

"He's done enough world-saving...Angel, I knew you could handle it..."

Buffy waved a hand... "And if things went south, we'd clean up the

mess...I just didn't see that he needed to take another risk when we

hadn't even gotten a chance to properly catch-up..."

"It was love, ma'am..." she concluded to the officer...Smiling at

Will... "I was just tryin' to protect the husband I'd lost a century

ago..."

"A century ago...?" Mulder stared...

"Cicely...Just wait, you'll find out..." the cigarette-smoking man

nodded...

"Honey, I don't care if you lost him a century ago or last night in a

card game...And that doesn't explain these two other incidents of

beating..."

Two other?...Angel, Mulder, the other two Slayers...

The cigarette-smoking man nodding sagely...We knew that...He notes to

Mulder...

She disciplines her mate well, Illyria nodding with approval...

"Two?..." Buffy blinked... "You mean that time back in Sunnydale was

reported?...Giles said he'd taken care of..." she eyed the Council

woman in tweed suit who was nervously waving hands...No, no...

"Guess 'Giles' slipped up that time...Maybe we should make that

four?...Incidents...?" the officer noted, sternly... "An incident here

in LA... In April...Outside the victim's apartment, eyewitnessed by

Officer John Lennings..."

"I was mad that he hadn't called or wrote...I'd just found out about

my being his reincarnated wife..." Buffy, nervously... "I just wanted

him to know how I felt..."

Uh-huh...

"Sunnydale...This looks interesting... The reporting officer found the

victim locked in a basement...Seeming deranged and malnourished...With

signs of severe beatings..."

"That was someone else..." Angel cut in... "The First, right,

Buffy?..."

Ummn...

"Mr. Angel...I'll ask for your input later...Miss Summers, the report

says you were found striking him and told the officer he needed it

because he was trying to get away from the basement...Charges were not

filed at that time, though I sure would like to know why not...Was

that your Mr. Giles' doing?..."

"I didn't want him to run away..." Buffy noted... "I only did it

cause that's the only way I could reach him when he was

nuts...Ummn...Tough love, you know...?"

"You didn't get him proper care?...Why was he in a basement?..."

"He'd just got his soul back and he was kinda nuts...I didn't know

want to do with him..."

"They told me you left him in the basement at Sunnydale High after he

won the soul back...Which seemed insane, given the Hellmouth..." Angel

cut in... "But you beat him?..."

"It always worked with Spike..." she tried...

Will looking sadly at her...Sweet...

"They didn't know, the others?..." Angel eyed her, then Will... "How

long was this going on?..."

"She thought I might still be Spike..." Will spoke up... "She was just

trying to keep a lid on..."

"Am I hearing that there were more incidents than what the officer

witnessed?..." the policewoman asked, cutting Buffy off in mid-

declaration...

"I was having my own problems..." Buffy tried... "I didn't know I was

a reincarnate...My heart was split right down..."

"So you hit us when you have problems?..." Angel frowned... "Even when

we get a soul for you?...Well, now I think I know where that shove

into Hell came from..."

"This is none of your business, Angel..." Buffy glared... "Speakin' of

which, how's Dru?...You never did clean up that little mess, did

you?...Your little psycho 'daughter' who murdered my husband..."

"People..." the policewoman frowned...

"Buffy..." Will called...

"I didn't know how else to deal then...I got him out after a little

while...He stayed in our basement till he burned to death..."

"You didn't get him any care?..." the officer eyed her... "Honey, I

wouldn't leave my dog in the basement, let alone my sick husband, ex

or unDead or what..."

"I didn't hit him then..." Buffy pleaded... "Tell her, Will..."

"She didn't...Except that time after the First brainwashed me in the

Sunnydale High basement and I was under her influence... But that was

just to help me..."

"Tough love again, huh...?"

"Something like that..."

"Girl, I think I see a serious pattern of violence here..."

"Well, I had been a killer vampire..." Will tried... "It was often

that or stake me in the early days..."

Thank you...Buffy mouthed...

Don't mention, sweet...

"But now you had a soul?..." the officer noted... "And she'd been

aware of that for some time...?"

Well...

"Don't we have any rights, Buffy?..." Angel, annoyed... "As human-

souled beings?...God, it doesn't surprise me at all you were born in

England, Cicely..."

"Oh, now...Angel, lets not let politics get into this..." William

sighed...

"Enough..." the officer put up a hand...

"If you knew your killer vampire husband..." she began...

"I didn't know he was my husband until I found out this year, in

London..." Buffy cut in...

Just for the record, she explained...

Right...The officer frowned...

"...if you knew he had gotten a soul and you'd stopped beating

him...For 'tough love' purposes...Why did you resume your behavior in

LA?...I mean, before, you beat him to 'save' him...Had he lost his

soul?...Was he being brainwashed...?"

"I...I was mad at him for not calling me right away...After burning up

and me thinking...After I found out William was my lost husband..."

Buffy looked at the group about her...

"Are you using some fiend mind control device with her?..." Mulder

eyed his companion...

"No, it's all her...See why JFK and Clinton never chased after

Slayers?..."

"I was just a little pissed at him...I lost it..."

I'm sorry...Mournful tone...

"I see...Mr...?" the officer eyed William...

"Walthrop, ma'am..."

"Mr. Walthrop...Do you wish protection from this lady?..."

Will?...Buffy stared...

"Will, you'd be welcome to stay with Nina and me..." Angel

noted...Frowning at Buffy... "I dare say the boy would be better

off..."

"Angel, I oughta...!" Buffy raged...

"If he doesn't want protection..."Angel began...

"I saved your miserable hide...!"

"People!...We'll have quiet here..."

"I don't need protection from my wife..." Will noted... "It's fine..."

The officer shook her head... "The problem is...Not only state law

requires an investigation...There's a child at home..."

"I never...Ever..." Buffy began...

"She nearly killed her sister/daughter at least once...That I know

of..." Angel cut in... "And she's had no time with the boy...William

just rescued him the other day..."

"Angel! I'm gonna...!"

"What?...What?...Kill me?..." he glared... "I don't think anyone

needs to hear that..."

"Ma'am..." he turned to the officer... "As a good friend and the

sire...Vampiral father, you might say...Of Mr. Walthrop...I think I

must say I certainly have reservations about Miss Summers being

allowed to..."

"Angelus, you murderous bastard!..."

"Buffy, darling!..." Will cried as she rose up in rage...

"Don't...For my sake, Cics..."

Ummn...She eyed him...Red-faced with rage...Angel taking defensive

stance...Cops pulling weapons...

"Lady...Sit down and be a good girl...Or we will have to do something

you won't like..." the officer glared at her...

"Please, dear..." Will sighed...

"Sure..." she looked round...

Nothing wrong, it's cool...

"I'm fine...Just tell that jackass to keep his opinions to

himself...Can we remember who and how many times saved the world?... "

"Considering the mayor and Warren Mears and even the Master weren't

what I would call, world-class threats..." Angel began...

"Angel...Enough..." Will frowned...

"I knew you hated me, deep down...Ever since I came back from the dead

the last time..." Buffy glared... "Jealous of me, jealous of

William...Not like you earned that soul, is it?..."

"I was good enough to be Buffy's first, wasn't I?...Maybe Cicely's

too?..." Angel sneered...

"Mr. Angel...Keep that up and I might put you and the lady in a cell

together..." the policewoman frowned...

"Below the belt, Angel..." Will noted quietly... "Lets remember we're

all friends here..."

"And God knows you weren't Cicely's first..." Buffy cut in, narrow-

eyed look at Angel...

"And from the little I remember I doubt you managed to be Buffy's

first either..."

Hmmphf...Mmmphf...

"Now we've gone and made Illyria cry..." Will sighed... "Fred, it's

ok...We just had a very stressful night..." he patted her...

"I thought we cared for each other...Can't we just be friends?...Or

fight it out to the death in private?...Wesley would want it that

way..." Illyria, sobbing...

"Lyri, I'm sorry..." Angel sighed... "Buffy, I lost my temper...Old

wounds opening up...I'm sorry..."

"You might apologize to my husband..." she noted, coolly...

He frowned, but... "Yeah...Will, I'm sorry...No offense intended..."

"It's fine, mate..."

"You were monitoring after Andrew left LA...How well have they known

each other...?" Buffy hissed to the Slayer to her left...

"Back to the matter at hand, people..." the policewoman sighed... "I'm

passing this on to the judge, with a strong recommendation that Miss

Summers here..."

"Mrs. Walthrop..." Buffy corrected.. "We'll have the paperwork to make

it legal again in soon..."

"You might want to hold up a bit on that..." the officer suggested,

dryly...

"Hey..."

"...Anyway, I'm recommending that the lady enter a domestic violence

program...But that will be at the discretion of the judge..."

"I'm going to jail?..." Buffy stared...

"We'll bail you...Angel?..." Will looked over...

Hmmn?...

"Well, assuming Wolfram-Hart's credit still exists..." Angel noted...

"I'll contact Mr. Giles..." the woman in tweed called... "Sorry about

the other incidents in Sunnydale, apparently we'd not been informed of

them..." she eyed Buffy who looked a bit around, nervously...

I saved the world...Lots...

"It'll be fine, pet..." Will called to her as two officers motioned

for her to rise...

"Whoa..."

"Impressed...?" the cigarette-smoking man eyed Mulder as they sat, the

room partially emptying now...

"I guess...But say, why do you bring me to these things and let me

know some of your secrets?...What's in it for you, given I won't

change my mind and turn to your side?..." Mulder asked...

"I know...But given Miss Summers' revealing a darker side in all her

goodness...And given in all these years you've never gone after that

Scully...I was thinking...We might go out..." the cigarette-smoking

man smiled...Hopefully...

"I can't believe she was in LA with you the whole time after Andrew

went home...And you two let me take that damned trip to Rome...You and

that 'could we put Buffy in a box?' or 'mind control her?' crap..."

"What?..." Buffy eyed a sheepish Will...

"Just maintainin' the decep..."

"Yeah, don't start hitting him again..." Angel said... "Jesus!..." he

shrieked at the blow...

"Hey, I'm not married to you..."


	5. Chapter 5

"Immortal Beloved..." CXL...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (140) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story,  
though some are multipart...)

The EuroStar express to Geneva… Evening…

"So…Buffy really is…"

"We think so, Dawn…" Giles nodded…

"She seemed ok after the fight in England…I mean exceptin'…" Dawn shrugged… "Maybe it was a side effect…?"

Willow, beside Giles, sighed…

"I mean I remember one of Buffy's science teachers said she had potential…Before he got killed by that giant praying mantis…"

Ah, Miss French…God, those carefree days of high school…Xander thought…

"Not this much potential, Dawn…" Willow eyed her…

Hey…Dawn glared…

"Dawn, the Immortal had a definite plan…He made sure she found the Crown…"

"But she killed him…He's history…Thanks to her and poor Sarah in Rome…"

Ooops…she looked over to the sound of weeping…Oh…

"Here, Andy…" Willow handed several tissues…

"Sorry, Andy…" Dawn called…

"Yes…" Giles frowned a moment over at his junior Watcher… "But despite his defeat, she was in contact with the Crown of Hypatia…"

"But Hypatia was a good person, right?..." Dawn looked at him… "She wouldn't help the Immortal do harm?..."

"Debatable…" Giles shrugged… "One man's great philosopher and savior of classical antiquity's stored knowledge is another's fiendish sorceress…"

One woman's he means…Willow thought, annoyed…

"The fact remains the Immortal chose Buffy to receive Hypatia's essence…The perfect body for what he considered the perfect mind…" Giles continued… "Only the fact that our double in Rome threw him off  
his track for a bit prevented him from taking her before we were ready…"

"And if His Jerk-offness had the hots for Roman lady, doesn't bode well for her character…"

Xander noted… The one good eye closing decisively to settle the matter…

"He could have just admired her…" Willow frowned… "Like Spike fell for Buffy…"

"Andy, will you stop?..." she called… "I'm outta tissues…We all feel bad for William too…"

"But come on…" Dawn shook her head… "She only had the Crown on her head for a minute…"  
Nervous, guilty hand move…

God, me and my bright ideas…Hey, sis…Let me get a pic of you in this thing I found rolling on the floor… His Bullshitness was hangin' on to it for dear Unlife at the end…

"It couldn't have done anything to her…"

"And suddenly…" Willow shook her head, rolling eyes… "Suddenly she's writing a thesis that blows the folks at CERN away so much they wanted to hire her?..."

"So Buffy has a secret talent for high energy particle physics…" Dawn shrugged… "This Hypatia lived around 400, what would she know about it?..."

"Hypatia's mind was the jewel in the crown, Dawn…" Giles noted… "But the Immortal has added knowledge from other great women over the centuries, always just before their deaths, usually by violence…Though her mind is the core and dominates the Crown…I'm sure we'd find a few  
recent additions if we could still probe it…"

"And all that's in Buffy's brain now…?" Dawn frowned…

Geesh…Willow sighed…Doesn't a science geek goddess rate at all…Even if I did lose a lot charging the Slayers…

"It appears likely…And we have no way of knowing what else was transferred there…" Giles concluded…

"But Giles…Guys…We've all been with her since the fight…She was Buffy, right?...She didn't start speakin' in Greek or Latin?..."

I mean besides that time on the phone to her advisor at CERN…

"And she coulda killed us all if she was some ole lover of the Immortal Asshole…" Dawn noted…

"Dawn…The fact is…" Willow began… "We have doubts about what happened in London…"

"Someone's shacking up with her at CERN…" Xander cut to the chase… "And my money's on His Bellicoseness…"

"But we saw him destroyed…" Dawn protested…

"And Dracula…And several others…Including Angel from Hell…Came back…Dawn, we coulda been fooled…" Willow, carefully…

"And CERN is far too dangerous a place for a possessed Slayer and her fiendish mate to roam free…" Giles insisted… "So we must deal with this…Or rather, the Slayer Corps must…"

"You're gonna sick the Slayer Corps on Buffy?..."

"Only if she refuses to let us test her…And to explain her behavior…" Giles noted…

"You mean like scoring twice your IQ level?..." Dawn glared… "Maybe my sis has just finally decided to blossom…Come outta your shadow…You know she's been furious with you ever since the truth came out about William…And Cicely…"

"That was a regrettable situation I could do nothing about…" Giles began… "But now…"

"You lied to her…William was her husband, my father, and you knew…" Dawn, furious now… "She left because you betrayed her…She only stayed in England to be sure her motions about the Slayers' training and future were carried by the Council…And if it had been me…"

"Dawn, I am sorry, as I have continually told you and Buffy…But Spike was too dangerous…"

"The truth was too dangerous…Your guys murdered my father…My mother…Me…And then did everything you could to prevent us from getting' together…Don't give me it again, Giles…" Dawn put up a hand… "I don't buy it anymore than she did…You were ready to have her kill me and it wasn't just to stop Glory…"

"Dawn…" Willow tried…

"The only reason…The only reason I came this time…Was because I wanted to be sure about her…But all you're giving me is new proof not to trust you…What, now you want to see that a smart Roman lady gets permanently axed as well as Cicely?...Was she Buffy too, back then?..."

Hmmn…Willow pondered…Eyeing Giles' noncommittal look…

"Now I'm going to Geneva…And I'll ask Buffy what's what, just in case…But…" Dawn, coldly fixing eyes on Giles, then Willow, then Xander… "If I find out any of you are planning to pull…Anything…I will tell her  
whatever I have to…That my dad's ghost cries to me for vengeance, anything…So, you better be honest with me…All of you…" she sat with folded arms, glaring out the window…

Enroute to CERN by two cars…Dawn with Xander and four Slayers in front car, Willow, Giles, and five Slayers in rear car…

"Willow?..." Giles looked at her…

"Yeah?..."

"I do have your support in this…?"

She eyed him…

"Have you been completely honest with us, Giles?...At least on this one?..."

"I haven't lied about anything…"

"You didn't lie about Spike…" she frowned… "You just didn't tell us anything you knew…What is this, Giles?...Is there a backstory?..."

He sighed…

Great…Willow sighed…

"She's Hypatia?...And Cicely?...And Buffy…"

"It's…Not impossible…"

"Jesus, Giles…? I oughta kill you guys…What did you do to her, suck her brains dry?...Ummn…"

No offense, Buf…I love you just as you are…

"Certainly not…Buffy was a unique personality…"

Hmmn…Striking proof of nurture vs nature, eh?...I oughta write this up…

"Who was once several other people?...Wait…Was Hypatia a Slayer too?..."

"No…Which might explain the difference in focus…"

Hmmn…I suppose not having to save the world every other week might allow for more library time…

"And the Immortal…Loved Buffy?..."

"Considering what he did to poor Sarah when he unmasked her…And tried to do to Buffy, I would say not…But he may well have loved Hypatia…And saved her brilliant mind from the mob that destroyed her…"

"'Saint' Cyril's boys?...Was he by any chance another Watcher who disliked uppity charges?..."

"Willow…"

"Right, you said she wasn't a Slayer…Though maybe he got her because she wouldn't be Slayer…"

"He was not a Watcher, Willow…Orestes, the prefect of Egypt at the time was the local Watcher…She was a potential Slayer, never activated…"

"Buffy'll love hearing that… 'Buf, if you hadn't been the chosen one you woulda been a great scientist'."

"And I would be a great sorcerer with harem…Life doesn't always give us what we'd like, Willow…" Giles smiled…

Willow frowning…Well…

"All right, I'm sorry…But if the Immortal loved Hypatia and saved her mind…Does that mean Buffy killed another true love?..."

"Not necessarily…Love, especially that of a demon-possessed beast like the Immortal or Spike…"

"Buffy'll kill you if you say that in front of her…"

"Yes…Anyway, sometimes such love is unrequited…"

"Really?..."

"So far as we know…From Orestes' records, the Immortal studied with Hypatia for several years but she never responded to his advances…However, when her fate was sealed past all hope…"

"Decent of him…" Willow sighed… "I guess I have to plant flowers…"

"He hoped to keep her mind as his prized possession until a suitable body could be found…"

"Right, the perfect one…But why not another Slayer…"

"Perhaps he tried and Hypatia's mind wouldn't accept any but her own descendant/reincarnation…"

"But Dawn is right…She hasn't acted like some Eastern Roman philosopher…In fact…" Willow paused…

Giles eyed her narrowly…

"In fact?..."

"Giles, she swore me to secrecy…I only came on this trip at first because I wanted to keep you from interfering…Until I found out more about the Crown…Then I figured…There might be something wrong…"

"Well?..."

"She told me she took the job at CERN because it might help her find William…" Willow sighed… "Something to do with a new spell using antimatter to probe the dimensions…"

"Buffy said that?..." Giles stared…

Ummn…Yeah…

"And after all these years of being her friend, you accepted this sudden acquisition of occult knowledge on top of her sudden ability in Physics..Advanced Particles Physics…Without a question?..."

"She seemed to know what she was doing…Giles, she's the Slayer…I was a little startled but I just kinda went along…I did have some questions...But the way she laid it out, it seemed good at the time…"

"She's using CERN to reach William?..."

"Just to do some probing…She needs a little antimatter…"

"Willow?..."

"It was right after that I called you to ask if you thought anything might be wrong with her…" Willow, plaintatively…

"So…Welcome to CERN…" Buffy in lab coat, embraced Dawn then Willow, then Xander…  
Andrew…Hesitating on Giles but finally…

"Mom…" Dawn nodded…

Buffy grimaced…

"Dawn, we agreed…Only at home…Between us…"

"Right…Cicely…" she nodded…

Better…Buffy shrugged…

"So…" Xander looked round the gleaming lobby, staff moving about… "You invent warp drive yet…?"

"Next week…" Buffy grinned…

"Buffy…" Giles paused… "I think you know we came out here not just to see you…"

"I know…" she nodded…Tapping skull… "Grew three sizes after I tried the Crown and you're thinkin' the Immortal or a friend of his took up residence…"

"I think you were always smart, Cicely…" Dawn, supportively… "You just kept it hidden…"

"Well hidden…" Buffy grinned…

"Ok…" she put up a hand… "First, yes…I did get a jolt from the Crown…Second…Yes, I was Hypatia of Alexandria about 16 centuries ago… Just as I was Cicely Walthrop in 1880…But no, the Immortal was not my boyfriend in 415ad…In fact, he was quite a pest…Not to mention he cheated on tests…"

So…One of ours?…Willow, hopefully…

"He did save my memories and something of my thought processes, for which, unfortunately I owe him…But I was definitely not interested…He was much too weird…I was much too busy…And I had a boyfriend…Who in that particular existence died of plague before he reached ten…Just my  
luck…"

"I knew it…" Dawn nodded, proudly…

"No evil plots to rule the world, Giles…" Buffy eyed him… "I'm pretty much the same girl you knew, just a wee bit better at physics and Victorian literature…And of course I'm married…"

Oh…

"Andy?..." A suddenly red-eyed Dawn turned for support… He passed a tissue…

Daddy…sigh…

"Any luck there?..." Willow asked…"The probing and all…?"

"Nope…" Buffy shook head…Then grinned… But…

"Fortunately…Angel just was worried after the big one in LA that the Watchers couldn't be trusted…"

Arch look at Giles who frowned…

"So he was down the street from my Geneva apartment at Wolfram-Hart, Europe…Senior VP…I bumped into him while I was trying to get a copy of what remains of my commentaries on Euclid in the library…And…"

Will!...she called…Waving…

"He doesn't really have all that much to do as Senior VP here so he volunteers with me two days a week…Dawn, don't look at me like that…We were gonna tell you as soon as we found a house and worked out a good renewal of vows/wedding date…Oh, hang on…" she ran off to him…The  
group staring…

"Honey, you can't bring that out of the lab…" she took a canister from him… "Look who's here!..." she pointed…

Daddy…Dawn gasped…

"I gotta be careful with him…" Buffy explained to Willow after setting the canister back in the lab… "He doesn't really have a clue about the science though he's great about handling things that would kill a  
normal guy…But hey, he's a Champion world saver and writes the most beautiful poetry…"

She effortlessly quoted a line in Greek…From his earlier days…

"Nice…Greek to me…But nice…" Willow noted…

"Immortal Beloved..." CXLI...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (141) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story,  
though some are multipart...)

***  
I891…Alternate London…

"I'm the Master of de Sea, Rula of the Queen's Navy…

Whose praise Great 'Itain really smart…"

"NO! You're gettin' wrong, Cicely… Listen here…'hose praise Great Britain proudly 'aunts…'"

"No, Joe!...Tha's not da way…Dad!..."

"Here, Dad!"

"Joseph…Cicely…I'm trying to work here…"

Waaah!...

"Will, be quiet…Dad's tryin' to woke here!..." young Master Joseph Walthrop, blond-haired, enterprising man of full ten years addresses his younger brother, William, Jr…

Right…William sighs, rising…Feeling pull at waistcoat…

"Dad…Tell Joe how to sing the song…"

"Dad…Tell Cics she's got worms in her ears…Take 'em out, why don't she?..."

"Dad!..."

"Dad!..."

"DADDDD!"

"Stop!...Enough…Joe, go back to your lesson…Cicely, go read your book…Let me see to Will…"

He headed into the small nursery room off the parlor, moving to a small crib-bed where a toddler was sobbing at a bit lower intensity than a moment ago….

Bang of door closing…Sound of running feet…

"Mum!...Mum's home…!"

"Mum!...Tell Cics…" voices fade, woman's voice, that of the missus of the house, Cicely Walthrop, heard lightly, wearily…

"Will?..." call…

"With William…" he returned call…Now lifting the toddler to shoulder…Patting a bit…

"Here now namesake…What's with you, eh?..." he whispered… "Ah…" he felt the wet bottom…

"The usual, Prescott…" he affected a toney accent… "Bath and powder, easy on the powder this time…"

"What's wrong?...Did you hear me?..." Cicely entered, looking instinctively round…

One never knows…

"I called…Will's wet…"

"Oh…Shall I?..."

"No, I've got him…You look exhausted…Sit down…"

"I can take him…" she insisted…

"Sit…Joseph!..."

"Dad?..."

Cicely wearily taking seat in living room/parlor…

"Mum's slippers and tell Cicely to fetch Mum a good strong tea…"

"I've got it!...You don't half to tell may…" call…

"Girl spends too much time outside…" Cicely shook her head as Will and his namesake came over…Removing large if slightly worn hat…

"Tired…?" he gave her a kiss on top of her head…

"Dead…But not as much as some…" she grinned at his look…

"The whole kibosh?..."

"99.9%, I'd say…"

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics…" he replied, grinning…

"Watch it…Little pitchers…" she hissed…Frowning…As Joe returned, bearing carpet slippers…

"Mum?..."

"Angel, sent from heaven…" she beamed…Lifting feet…

"Let me tend to Willie here and I'll right back…" Will patted her shoulder…

"All right, Mummie?..." Joe unable to resist a slight reversion to childhood's endearments…Mum lookin' so peaked…

"Wonderful…" Cicely beamed at him… "Help Cics with the tea, please Joe…And thanks, lovey…"

"Right…" firm attempt to imitate the pater…

"Will…" she called from her seat…Twisting aching feet in slippers…Ah…

"Yeah…?"

"I spoke to the bankers today…After finishing…Things…"

"Yes?..."

"My trust's taken a wee nose dive, Will…"

He emerged from the nursery, young Will in arms, newly clothed in fresh regalia…

"How 'wee'?..."

"They weren't quite sure…Probably a third…"

"Ouch… Well, we can tap mine a bit more if we need to…"

"What about Phil and Amelia….?"

"We'll work it out…"

She sighed…

Lord…

Life was so much less complicated when I just sat and looked pretty…And killed things by night while Father signed the papers Mr. Levinson brought over…

"Better than my childhood…" Will smiled at her…

"Then we be doin' fine…" she nodded…"How's the work going…?"

"Eh…Not…But I did the copy…Lets hope Gilbert's purse is full tomorrow…"

She frowned… "You ought to be focusing on your work, not some piecework…'

"Piecework fills the gaps and pays the gas…" he noted… "And you ought to be in class…"

"Time enough…" she shrugged…Reaching for little Will who was passed over…

"Cicely…I'm…"

"Time…Enough…" she replied… Smiling at him… "If things get worse, I'll just blackmail the Council for a fortune…Eh, little man?..." she teased Will, Jr…

"They sure as hell owe you one…" Will began…She het-humming as Joseph entered, tea cup in one hand, pot in the other…Little Cicely following with cups…The paterfamilias took his preferred seat…

"Ah, a first-rate hotel…Sir, you shall have my recommendation…" Will nodded to Joseph who gravely nodded back… Sir...Attempt at bow…

"Madame…" Joe handed cup of tea to Cicely…Who took it with thanks…

Little Cicely placed the cups on a small table and left the room, seeking cream and lemon…

"Me next…" young Cicely insisted…

"After Dad…"

"Ladies first, Joe…But thanks…" Will nodded to him, indicating young Cicely demurely awaiting service on her favorite chair…

"Mademoiselle…" Joe addressed his sister who gravely accepted a cup…

"Joseph…" polite nod…

"One lump or two?…"

"Six on the noggin…" Cicely giggled… "Two, Joseph…" she corrected at Mum's stare…

"Dr. Farris is stopping by…" Cicely noted, eyeing Will…

Hmmn…General frown…

"What?..."

"I don't like him…" young Cicely wrinkled her nose…Accepting Joseph's offer of cream with exquisite politeness… "He looks like an old rotter…"

"Cicely!..." Cicely frowned at her namesake… "Dr. Farris is my friend…I expect you to be polite…"

"Yeah, mum…" the girl nodded, downcast…

Stern eye by Cicely to William in his chair…Don't…

Do not…

He giving mischievous smile back…Clearly…Is an old rotter…On his tongue…

"Mind your mum, Cics…Manners for the company…"

"Yeah, dad…"

"Ah, many thanks, Prescott…" Will took the proffered cup of tea with a smile…

"Do we have any of those cookies left?..." Cicely sat up a bit…

"Cake…The vanilla cookies…" Joseph noted… "Get em?..." he asked…

"Save the cake…Bring the cookies and some bread and jam…"

Young Cicely pouting…Wanted the cake…And that old rotter always eats half the things set…

"Cics help Joe…." Will told her…The girl scurrying off…

"A visit from on high?..." he looked at Cicely…Who sighed…

"He has some information for me…Will, you will be nice to him?..." leaning over…

"I'm always…"

"Will…" reprovingly… "His research does help me, you know…Sometimes could make the difference…"

"A few of those Watchers getting off their backsides and into the fight would help a bit more, I think…"

"That's not his fault…"

"No…" frown…

"What?..."

"I don't trust him, Cics…"

"Will…Simon Farris has saved my life a dozen times over…"

"Generally while you were saving his…And his passel of antiquarians…"

"Will…"

"Why haven't you received more help from the Council?...He keeps promising but something always appears to prevent it…"

"They have other concerns…And they're only human, Will…"

"They seemed to have plenty of help with that fellow who wanted to take out the Queen last year…"

"Royal assassins merit a big effort…"

"Your life merits a big effort…" he replied…But went silent on Joe and Little Cicely's return, bearing cookies, bread, and jam with knives and plates…

"Eat, Mum…" Joseph commanded…Handing plate of cookies…

"You heard the man…" William smiled… "Cicely, careful with that cup…"

"Ay, Dad…"

Cicely adjusted her grip on Will Jr. to accommodate holding tea cup with one hand, cookie in other, arm about the toddler as he squirmed slightly…

"Whacha been doin' Mum?..." Joseph placed her plate of bread…

My bread…Young Cicely noted…She helped Mary this morning before school, Will agreed…

"That's my girl…" Cicely beamed wearily… "Oh, I had some business to do, Joe…Had to go by train North and then to London…"

"Social work?...Like Dad says…" Joseph asked, curious…

"Of a kind…" Cicely nodded…

"Your mum helped a lot of folks out of trouble these last two…As she always does…" Will noted…

"Don't like Mum traveling alone…Can't I go with her next time?..." Joe, a bit urgently…

"Yes, lets…" little Cicely chimed in…

"It's not work for the likes of you…" Will frowned… "If you want to help Mum, you'll be good, do your work, and help out ole Dad here…That's your jobs, eh love…?"

"Indeed…" Cicely nodded… "And Mums is grateful you all do it so well…"

"But…If you get hurt?..." Joe pressed…A worrisome look exchanged by the two parents…Joe having seen Cicely returning wounded two years ago…It having been too late to bother ole Henry in London or try a hospital…

"Then she'll call or go to a doctor…Then call…" Will took the practical route… "And if it's ever a need, we'll have Mary watch you or cousin Henry'll go with her…So she'll be fine…"

"Will you , Mum?..." Joe asked…

"I'll do that Joe…" she nodded…He looking a bit perturbed still, but finally accepting…

"Cicely, eat your bread and jam…Or put it away…" Will called…

"I'm eatin', Dad…" the girl put a large piece between jaws, chewing…Giggling…

"Cicely…" Cicely frowned… "Mouth closed…"

"You should get to bed…" Will told her… "Joe, would you take the cups and plates in ?...Cics, finish your tea and help Joe…"

"Only if you come…" Cicely, slyly…Whisper…

"You need to sleep…Especially if milord is to give audience…I'll help you to bed, Prince Will…" he took little Will from her reluctant arms…"Then you, milady…"

She put up a hand… "I'll keep till later…I'm fine…"

He eyed her with frown but took young Will back to the nursery…

Cicely leaned back…

Lord…What a couple of days…But still in one piece, praise God and good reflexes…

Crash from kitchen…

"What's that!..." Will called, hurrying to the door…

"Plate…Not broke, sorry Dad!..." Joe called…

"Duty calls…" Cicely noted, starting to rise…

"Your duty is to go to bed…" Will frowned at her… "We'll be fine…"

"I should get to the clothes…There's the carpet…And dinner…"

"I will get to the carpet…Mary will do the clothes when she comes…As for dinner, Joe will fetch it from the bakeshop…"

"Too expensive…" Cicely frowned…

"We can afford one meal from the cookshop, girl…Now…" he lifted her off the chair in one motion…

"Sir…Unhand me…" Cicely, grinning…

Lord, I forget how strong my little joy is sometimes…She relaxed, relishing…

"Off we go…"

" Aye…Mum…" Joseph, followed by Cicely coming from the kitchen…

"Prescott, the door to milady's suite…" Will addressed him…

Joseph strode to bedroom door, opening with solemn gravity…

"Good man, Prescott…" Will nodded…Carrying Cicely inside…

"Be good…" she called to the two watching children…Joseph, still grave…Young Cicely beaming…

"I wonder if it'll turn gray soon…Father said Mother's hair went gray early…" Cicely noted, turning her head at Will's touch as he brushed her long hair…She now undressed and in light shift…Jacket, skirt, and  
blouse draped on chair…Corset on bureau…

"Living with your father, why am I not surprised?..." Will replied…

"Will…" reprovingly…

"Only the truth, girl…And you know it…"

"He's lonely, Henry says…" she turned forcing him to stop…

"He's always welcome, if he ever chooses to bless us with his presence…He ought to know that…"

"I appreciate that…" she smiled at him…He turned her head again…Resuming…

"I'd best be off to see what havoc reigns…" he noted…

"Give us a kiss…" she breathed…Coming to him…Pulling him to her…

"Was it bad?..." he asked, from her embrace… "Truly?..."

"I'm here…" she whispered… "And no visible scars…"

"Right then…" he replied… "Then God gets another day's pardon…"

"Will…"

"When He sends you help, I'll start singing His praises…Till then, if He wants to play these games, He'll have no thanks from me…Only no curses…So long as you…" he paused…

"Ah, Will…Don't be angry…I'm not…"

"Just don't get hurt, love…And come back to me…"

"Always do, always will…Somehow…" she kissed him… "Better be off, I hear ominous silence…"

"Call you?..."

"In an hour or so…Dr. F is due at six-thirty…"

"Then two hours…You can be presentable enough for him in fifteen minutes…"

She frowned but shrugged…Fine…

"Don't forget to feed Will…"

"On my way…"

A distinguished looking, silver-haired man in suit, striding purposefully through the streets…Frowning a bit at the respectable but unfashionable houses…

Still, he'd preferred the walk, having himself dropped several blocks from the home…Although it was also mandatory…His hostess having long ago insisted that of his Council and staff only he…Alone and on foot  
at least the last part of the way, within 4-5 blocks…Should be allowed to approach her or have any contact…

The early evening air was pleasant but it was more the chance for solitude…A solitude which he, as Chairman of the Royal Council of Librarians and Antiquarians could confidently expect would not be  
violated by any human knowledgeable enough to pose a threat…Nor as a powerful sorcerer, with suitable powerful protections and occult allies, by most nonhumans…

Except the one whom he sought solitude in order to safely contact…Or rather, accept her efforts at contact…

Her increasingly persistent efforts…

D'Hoffryn apparently anxious to see his alliance bear fruit after all these years of enforced patience…

So one track a mind for such a powerful beast lord…He sneered to himself…

But the increasing waste of power and time in protection made it a matter of simple economy to reopen channels of communication…It was perhaps time to bring things to their long-deferred conclusion…

He found a suitable area for communication, an alley beside a small, closed shop in a quiet side street and pulled out a small charm from his pocket…Waving it slightly…

Eyeing the figure before him…Cicely Walthrop in cream-colored, rather elegant dress…Quite a bit more of her old style than the dress she had been wearing at her home…

Close, yes…But a bit…Not exactly younger, but smoothed, one might said… No wrinkles, no slight sag from the four pregnancies…

None of the care and wear she'd borne in her face, even back before these 'Dark Times'…

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity…Even a vengeance demon couldn't bear not appearing her best, even if it gives her away should she ever need to impersonate the girl…

Cicely was more beautiful at 34 with all the marks and ravages of time…

"Dr. Farris?...A long time, sir…"

"Miss Halfreck…" Farris nodded…

"I'm so glad we could finally meet once more…I've tried to reach you many times over the past ten years…"

"My apologies…My duties as Chairman made it too difficult in general to risk contact…"

"I must regret to say that was unwise…To be frank, Lord D'Hoffryn dislikes rejection from those who once called on his assistance…"

"I believe your demon lord has learnt I can't be threatened that way…"

"For the moment…" Haly, warm smile…

"And I've noted before to you and your master …"

Frown…

"…Pardon, your lord…That he will still have a chance at her death to approach her…"

"A chance with no hope of success…"

"There was always little hope, my dear…Your lord was aware of that from start…Cicely, even in despair over William would not have agreed…"

She might've if I'd told her who murdered her family and herself…Haly thought…

Still…DH wants negotiations to proceed…And seemed even a little, just a little, under the surface…Worried about the good doctor…

He's well-protected, and Anyanka hinted DH'd made his best shot…Literally…When we last had coffee…She was rather impressed with my client, at last…

And no one is quite sure what the Council may have, held in reserve, magicswise…

"So…" Haly returned to the business at hand… "Where does that leave us, doctor?...Do I try William now…Let him catch me in the arms of another?…"

"Please…" Farris smiled thinly…

"Or is this a good-bye…?"

"In a manner of speaking…." Farris nodded… "Though I do wish you luck with your efforts should you be able to continue them…"

"What?..." Haly stared…

"Poor choice of words…Yes, tell Lord D'Hoffryn I have decided not to pursue the matter at this time…And he would be wise to accept that our failure was a mutual one…I may still have use for him as an ally…"

Use?...Haly blinked…All right, the little human is either bluffing to see if we have another option or he's insane…

"Dr. Farris…As a friend, I must urge you to choose your words carefully…Blocking a few probes by Lord D'Hoffryn with a few protective spells is not the equivalent of defeating him…Don't mistake his kind forbearance for weakness or excessive benevolence…You risk a great deal by offending him..."

"Merely a clarification of our respective positions, Miss…I hope to retain his friendship in spite of the outcome here…Indeed, you may tell him, that I speak for the Council in this…"

"Put that way…Minus the implied threat…" she eyed him…

"As you wish…But the main point is that our effort here is ended…At least my part in it…"

"Just like that?..."

"Miss Halfreck…I realize the passage of time means little to you…But it has been eleven years since we tried to destroy them…"

I guess...And an alliance with the Council's Chairman is something DH values…She thought…Still, Farris never seemed the type to just…

A little disappointing…I'd thought he was determined to have me...Her…

Wait…She gave him a sidelong glance…Gentle smile, carefully matched to Cicely's warmest for him on past occasions…

"Have you worked something out, on your own?…With her…?"

He ignored the question and her rather insistent tone under the winsome Cicely smile...

"Any one of a number of events could still give her cause to turn to you..." he noted suavely...

"Fine...Officially the job is still on..." Halfreck sighed... "But you and I know she'll never accept my help...Our one chance was that night...You never have answered my question..." Haly eyed Farris with  
frown... "Why did you give it up?..."

"I?..." Farris, thin smile...

"You...You let her go...Let her chase Drusilla off, when you were supposed to keep her distracted and on edge...Why did you do it, between us, doctor...?"

"I did not, Halfreck...My story to you that evening was quite true...I stumbled and she was off before I could prevent her...A random event, nothing more...But frankly...If I had to do it again, knowing what I  
know now..."

"Now?...What do you know now?..." Haly, more intently than she'd meant...

"It wasn't until the boy, Joseph was born...Cicely named him after William's mother's father... "At his request..."

"So?..." Odd...First time he's ever called Walthrop by name...

"So...Then it dawned on me why I was sure I'd seen that boy's face...Walthrop's, his father...Before...In my dreams, hounding me..."

"Premonition...?"

"Hardly...Though part of my hatred for him had been my thought that it was that...But when I saw the little fellow's face, image of his grandmother...And saw his father with him...I realized where I'd seen that face before..."

Haly, puzzled...

"One should always be on guard with servant girls..." he smiled coldly... "When one is young, one's ambitions are still vague and unformed...And one is foolish..."

She blinked... You mean...?

"Of course I'd no idea she'd changed her name to Walthrop after I'd sent her a small legacy I'd cquired..." he shrugged...

"Now...You will forgive me, dear girl..." he smiled...

"My children await..."

"Immortal Beloved..." CXLII...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (142) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story,  
though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . ,  
scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

"Shakespeare's Sonnet #71 LXXI.

No longer mourn for me when I am dead  
Then you shall hear the surly sullen bell  
Give warning to the world that I am fled  
From this vile world, with vilest worms to dwell:  
Nay, if you read this line, remember not  
The hand that writ it; for I love you so  
That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot  
If thinking on me then should make you woe.  
O, if, I say, you look upon this verse  
When I perhaps compounded am with clay,  
Do not so much as my poor name rehearse.  
But let your love even with my life decay,  
Lest the wise world should look into your moan  
And mock you with me after I am gone."

"Yesterday, you say…?" choked voice…Folding the note in his trembling hands…

"Yeah…Will, I'm sorry…" Angel said, simply…

"Immortal Beloved..." CXLIII...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers?  
Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you  
no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (143) versions of  
events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question"  
through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some  
are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca  
verse at . ,  
scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

Two figures on a suburban street corner…One overdoing all in poseur casual black…Jacket, shirt, trousers, shoes…Socks…Screaming… "Brooding schmuck"…The other in a tasteful mix of black leather jacket, red shirt, brown trousers…Urbane, yet just a touch of bad boy…

"Angel…" nod…

"Yeah…Say…Are you writing again, Spike?..." curious peek over shoulder…"

"Giving my old craft a whirl…Privilege of the human souled and heroic, you know…"

Hand put up… "I'm just glad to see it…And Nina and Lyri will be pleased…So, another poem?...What's it about?..."

"The empty hell of American suburbia…Speakin' of which…" he glanced round…

"Seems like a nice little town to me…And it's nice to be near the Atlantic again…" Angel noted…

"If you're going to take that tone, shouldn't you be in ice cream vanilla?..."

"Jesus…Give it a rest, will ya…Besides, you know I just don't want to stand out…"

"Right…And in that outfit who would suspect a brooding prince of dorkiness was lurking in their streets…"

"Spike!..."

"Look, I wasn't the one who dragged us here, across the country…"

"You sound like you don't even care…"

"Is that why we're here?...You're playing matchmaker?..."

"I'm concerned about her…And about you…"

"So there is no great threat to her Blondness and I've once again been put on a wild goose chase?..."

"No, certainly not…Well, not exactly…Will, do you think I'd leave my Nina and head here unless I thought there was something to beware…?"

"Really…" dryly… "God…She didn't ask you to bring me?...She's not round here, somewhere, waiting to tell me about the place I have in her heart…"

"She doesn't know we're here…Or about you, least from me anyway...Can't say as to what Andy Wells told her …"

"And we are here…Because?..."

Spike, it's a matter of life and death, I can tell you that much…"

""What…Bad dating choice again?...I thought she was still with the Immortal, she manage to drop the I for him and moved on to someone or –thing else?..."

"She's still with the Immortal…At least most of the time…" Angel noted…Slightly hesitant look…A former boyfriend not quite comfortable with revealing an ex-'s troubling secrets…

"Oh, like when she was screwing me like mad and still telling you you'd be together someday when the time was…Right?..."

"Spike…You didn't have the chip when Buffy and I were together…If you were screwing Buffy then, she'd be sipping warm blood with you at the Partners' Welcome Hell on Earth ball right now and I'd be ashes…"

"Damned straight…" sigh…

God, it sucks to have a soul sometimes…He eyed Angel…

"Look…Liam…I'm touched to the heart by this…You've more than earned 'Christ Jr. of 2010', lad…But you're beating an undead horse, poor thing…"

Hmmn…Angel eyed the attacking demon he'd been slamming to the ground as they walked and talked…

"Mercy, I'm just transport, sir…" the horse demon whimpered…

"Fine…" he released the creature who galloped… "Sucker!..." yell back…Arggh…Groan and crash of large bulk to ground as William tossed a nearby fence pole like a javelin…

"Thanks…" Angel nodded…

"Anyway, as I say…" Spike resumed as both resumed walking… "It's water under the bridge, Liam…I appreciate the kind thought…But…"

"You've moved on…"

"Shut up…That's crap fit for the same bin as 'tough love' for resouled psychotic vampires…But there's no point to this…You said she doesn't even know…"Lets just head home and leave Blondie, female, be…"

"For ole times sakes, Will…Can"t we just check this out?..."

"She can handle the Immortal, I'm sure…"

"I didn't say it was the Immortal who was the problem this time…"

'Oh?...Well, I guess that leaves God Almighty himself…A tall order but I am her Champion…"

"Spike…"

"Sorry, don't mean to get you in Dutch with the new boss…"

"Spike, if you knew what I've learned…And if it were definitely true…"

"If she's gone for Willow's ex-, the Wolfboy, I'm all for it…He's a fine lad and will make her very happy…And warm…All that fur…And nice for you and Nina…Social acquaintances who won't require that elaborate sneeking about and fumbles for the door to the locked room…"

"It's not Willow's ex-…Spike…"

Oh…I get it…William shook his head…

That eighteenth century mentality rears at last…

"Angel, I know about that…Her little lescapade was all over the Net…Liam, twenty-first century, not the twelfth…I know it's the greatest possible horror to you, exceeding her eternal possession by the First… But, I'm fine with…"

"It's not that…Though…" Angel grimaced a second…

Lord, I'm sure glad I didn't transform Mum…If she'd survived and I'd got her a soul…Then introduced Buffy to her and then she'd seen that video…

Apocalypse…You don't know the word until an outraged Irish mum is involved…

"…Not that?..." Will stared, a bit curious now…

"Is it possession then?...She's had her soul sucked and turned Evil?..."

"Worse…I think I sense her…And…"

"It…" he grimaced again… "We'd better pull back a little…"

"Fine…" but a clear note of piqued interest…

Buffy appeared…Halting at a corner…No doubt about it, Will realized… Buffy in the living flesh…

And still human from the scent..With her Slayer aura intact…And her fashion sense considerably improved by her time in Europe…

Bet those boots cost the Council a pretty penny…

Waiting for some…Thing?...He noted, whispering the same to Angel…

"Yeah, now shhh…" Angel replied…

A car pulled up, door on passenger's side opening…Music blaring from within…

Hmmn…Not exactly the vehicle of some world-conquering fiend…Looks a bit battered…

She got in…Pulling door shut…The car remaining where it had parked…

Time passed…

Lord…They're not doing it right now?...Will sighed…

Jesus or whoever…At least have the class to take her somewhere nice…Even if you plan to drain her essence and turn her into a mad killing machine or whatever…

"It's this way every night since my guy followed her here…"

"Every night?..."

"Every night…Same time, same place…For two weeks…"

'And they're…Negotiating?...Fighting?..." Hopeful try…He eyed the now-shaking car…

No…I don't think so…

"Here…"Angel handed over a set of headphones…Displaying in his now-slightly open coat a hand holding what looked like a mini-bullhorn… "My Eavesdropper 10000…Don't turn…"

Loud groans and moans bellowing from the headphones…

Passionate, even rather obscene, groans and moans…

"…it up too high…Will?"

William dropped the headphones…

The car stopped its gyrations…The passenger door and driver side door each opened…

"Dear God…" Will backed away…

"I tole you…' Angel sighed…Staring at the two emerged figures…Buffy on the sidewalk, scanning for anything or –one…In the vicinity…

"Who's there?..." she called… "Hey!..."

While the fat, hideous blob on the driver's side walked…Or rather, oozed, Will thought…Over to where Buffy stood…Its hugely blubbery face looking round as well…

"Lois?..." its voice nervously called…

"I can go now, I've seen everything…" Will hissed…

"Will, we should…" Angel whispered…

"Talking to God, you idiot…Lord, take me now, for pity's sake…"

"I don't see or hear anyone…" Buffy told her companion who now stood by her…

Angel listening carefully now with his Eavesdropper 10000, motioning for Will to come in and listen with him…

Will shaking head…But finally, a strange, horrified curiosity getting the better of him…

"Oh, Peter…" Buffy told the Blob… "We've got to stop this…"

Lord, yes…For love of all that's holy…Will thought…

She embraced him and Angel grabbed at Will as he began heaving on the ground…

Bwwwfffggh…

"Hey!..." Buffy released her indecent obsession… "Who's there?..."

Sounds of barfing from the bushes down the street…

"Eh…Probably the old drunk from down the street, Buffy…Unless Lois has been hitting the ole bottle…Hey, Lois?..." It called…

"Wait…?" Will looked up, somewhat relieved now…

"It's not…"

"Married…With three kids…" Angel nodded… "And as unbelievable as it seems, a human being…"

"Holy Jesus…Ok…Okay…Then it's like the nerd Trio, right?...Magics, mind control…A clear license for us to kill…"

"That would be great…" Angel said brightly…As Buffy began carefully moving their way…

"But, no…" Downcast look… "No magics or mind control that my people could detect…"

We'd best move, Will…He noted, glancing Buffyward…They carefully began a retreat through the bushes…

"Psychotic break?...Guilt from letting her poor souled vamp lover burn?..."

"My psych team says there's no evidence from her behavior…But hey, what do they know?..." Angel shrugged…

"Right, Psychiatry's a crock…Probably organic brain disease…Maybe that fighter's trauma…Too many blows to the head?..."

"My neuro team looked over the observational data along with what my boys could copy from her doctors' offices when they broke in…Nothing…Unless she's been seeing some Council guys in secret…"

"Exactly…Yeah, Council…Lets call Giles and get the goods, then grab her and take her in for immediate care…"

"Giles doesn't take my calls…But Willow told me she hadn't heard Buffy was ill or in trouble…"

"Rupert plays these things close to the vest…And Buffy hates to bother people with her problems…"

Uh…Angel cleared his throat… "She did say…Well, she only told me that she'd heard from Dawn that Buffy met that…Thing…When It was supposedly buying toy designs in London for Its company…Dawn hadn't met It herself but…"

"…She said Dawn said…Buffy seemed very…"

"Delusional…Right…Come on, lets go save our girl, you idiot...Cause you know there's no way…"

He stared at Buffy's staring face, now a foot away from him…

"He makes me laugh…" she said, simply…


	6. Chapter 6

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVI...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers?

Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you

no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (126) versions of events

following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through

to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca

verse at . ,

scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

1880...Night of William's death and transformation...

Hell, Ministry of Information...

Naturally a morass of bureaucracy and inefficiency...Rife with very literal back-stabbing and betrayal...

"Ma'am...?" tap at the office door of Hell's all-powerful First Evil...

Currently using the form of the greatest Slayer living...Formerly one Cicely Addams...As of the previous night, Cicely Walthrop...

"Well?..." an icy, cruel-looking...Not even Halfreck the vengeance demon using her form this night on Earth in crushing the heart of the Slayer's mate looked so cold, the messenger tapping noted to his floppy-eyed self...

"Clement, ma'am...Message from Lord D'Hoffryn about Operation Walthrop, ma'am..."

"Hand it over..."

"Gouged in blood on my arm, ma'am..."

"Like I said, hand it over...Guard?..." a guard cut the extended arm off as Clem howled in agony...

Hmmn...The other false 'Cicely' perused the communique...

"So, D'Hoffryn's girl's nailed him...And the Slayer blames herself...A good start..." she nodded...

But frowned after a moment...Representing several days on Earth...Clem nervously awaiting her dismissal...

"So where's her despair?...The summons to anyone or thing that could avenge her William's taking...?"

"Don't know ma'am...Might I have my arm back, ma'am?..."

"Grow another, fur-ball..." she sneered, tossing the arm for disposal...

Another pause...Representing nearly an Earthly month...

"What the hell?...Doesn't she care?...You there, pooch..." she glared at Clem...

"Go find out what's going on...And it'd better be horrendous news...For Humanity...Make sure you get full surveillance yourself...No more of this operating through that pimp and his vengeance demons..."

"Yes, ma'am...Uh, about my arm, ma'am?..."

"Get the here out!..."

"Yes, ma'am..."

London...1880...

Surveillance Report #1 Operation "Walthrop"...

Slayer Mrs. Cicely Walthrop was brought to an East End hospital looking mighty bad by her Watcher, Dr. Farris and his crew...Slayer is definitely pregnant and seemed delirious...

(Poor kid...Clem sighed... She did look awful...)

Mr. Farris seen to make contact with operative Halfreck this afternoon in hospital room...He confirmed that Slayer has been poisoned and is near death...

No word on whereabouts of vampire counterpart of Slayer's husband...Believed to be still on pleasure cruise off French coast with siress Drusilla...

Miss Halfreck aware of surveillance and in making contact afterwards, cautioned... (Boy, did she...) This operative to remain in passive mode... (My favorite anyway)...But agreed not to alert her human partner, Dr. Farris, to my presence...

Miss Halfreck in agreement Slayer not likely to accept an offer of help from D'Hoffryn or our own group at this time...She recommends...

(Hmmn...That Slayer isn't gonna cut a deal with us either...Why bother the poor thing on her deathbed?...he pondered...Erasing "She recommends..." after a moment's reflection...)

...at this time...No further recommendations...Will maintain surveillance...

Surveillance report #2 Operation "Walthrop"...

Slayer Cicely Walthrop died at 3 pm this afternoon, along with her stillborn daughter...Vengeance demon Halfreck reports there was no success in attempting to contract an arrangement with her departing soul, despite Slayer's avowed promise to return and save husband...

Slayer's father, Sir Richard Addams came to collect body and took it away following argument with Slayer's cousin, a Mr. Foxcroft...

As per orders (Do appreciate getting the arm back, ma'am, Clem eyeing severed arm with gouged instructions...) this operation will shortly resume in more limited fashion as Operation "Spike", focusing on intermittent surveillance of Slayer's husband's counterpart...

Romania...1898...

Surveillance Report # 2000 Operation "Spike"...

Break-up of Angelus pride seems imminent owing to previously described soul curse of former leader Angelus... Subject William the Bloody (WTB) increasingly asserting leadership, though as yet still held in check by vampiral pride leader, Darla... In discussion, WTB has recommended leaving pride to siress/mate Drusilla but as yet the decision has not been made... Pride remains vigilant and successful...

Have successfully made contact with WTB as fellow demon...Stood him drinks at local inn...

(Nice fellow, really...When fed...Though not much shakes at darts...)

WTB generally non-aggressive toward human society as whole...Somewhat malicious towards victims...Seems to ape Angelus' style to large extent...

Though drowning that bartender in his own beer keg had a distinctive Shakespearian touch...I mean Clarence in "Richard III", ma'am...

(Ow...He patted flaming fur...

Just tryin' to be clear, ma'am...)

Constantinople...1899...

Surveillance Report #2497 Operation "Spike"...

Angelus pride held together for the moment under Darla...Angelus clearly withdrawn from hunting activity with pride...Soul curse?...

Have maintained friendly relations with WTB, though Drusilla seems annoyed when he spends time away from her...Darla doesn't seem to like me much either.. (I'm sure "nice dog you picked up..." was meant as insult, Clem frowned at the paper...) May be necessary to avoid contact with the pride females...

(Of course Darla is having a rough time these days what with Angelus and all...)

Cautiously brought up subject of his transformation and past human existence with WTB as instructed...He deflected all discussion of his human past except to mention he was a famed and promising poet...

(Thank God I took a dart in the paw just then...)

China...1900...

Surveillance Report # 3010 Operation "Spike"

WTB defeated and killed the current Slayer tonight...She hesitated in her fight as if... (Clem paused and scratched out everything after "tonight..." Though it was true...As if she'd recognized him in a vague way, poor kid...)

After battle had drinks with him...He a bit curious as to my doings in China...I keeping to "on my way to the famous Hellmouth in the great California land in America..." explanation...He eager to review battle in any case...Though a bit troubled when I translated Slayer's last words for him...Talked about his past a bit for the first time, mentioning his own mother...After multiple rounds, noted Slayer's hesitation and admitted she could have destroyed him...Seemed troubled by that as well...Briefly...When taking him home...

Drusilla quite annoyed with both of us at near dawn arrival...

Angelus was caught by Darla protecting some people tonight...I think it must have been that soul he got in Romania...She's kicked him out once and for all...William and Drusilla however have decided for their part to leave the pride as well...

(Poor ole Darla...he thought...It's tough to be alone for all eternity...)

Russian Pacific coast...1900...

Surveillance Report # 3098 Operation "Spike"...

Drusilla has demanded she and WTB return to Europe...As it would look suspicious, I must continue onto America for now...Since there has been no further indication of a possible return of Mrs. Walthrop to date, I feel surveillance can be reduced to limited monitoring on a yearly or at most, monthly basis...If this is denied, I recommend another demon be assigned to watch WTB for a time to minimize suspicion...

(Right..."Go and check out the California Hellmouth, ask about the new American Slayer, then go to Europe, report to vampire Master, Heinrich Nast in France, then find and resume surveillance on William the Bloody...The Hell I'm letting you off this one..." he sighed, reading the reply sent back...Eyeing the sneeringly grinning imp bearer ruefully...)

England...1912...

Surveillance Report # 6001, Operation "Spike"...

Flagged as "For immediate attention..."

(It better be something, the First grumbling in her Cicely form...Having interrupted her beauty bath and torture session...)

Found Darla boarding passenger ocean liner bound for America, possibly in service of sire Heinrich Nast...WTB and Drusilla were not traveling with her as rumor indicated...

Correction: Located WTB and Drusilla following evening in Southampton pub celebrating likely demise of Darla...(Passenger liner struck iceberg, sank in North Atlantic with heavy loss of life...) Drusilla quite annoyed at my reappearance, though not very suspicious...Urged WTB to "make a rug of [me] for his Dru girl"...Enraged at WTB refusal...WTB and I spending after evening together in pub, he noting, after multiple rounds, a past infidelity of Drusilla's with Angelus...

(Eehew...Hybrid vampires and their incestuous relations...But that had better not be all...The First frowned...)

WTB continued at some length on general unworthiness of female sex, both human and demonic...However it was clear he was not primarily focusing on Drusilla, he mentioning "that other bitch" multiple times, with appreciative thanks to all Powers That Be that said "other bitch" was long in her grave and would not rise to trouble him again... I refrained from pressing the subject given his occasional snarls at my early attempts but of his own accord at round 19...Whiskey straight... He offered a gold ring for my perusal, noting it was a symbol of fidelity, transmuted into a constant reminder of female fickleness...(In somewhat less clear terms, involving a chorus of "La Donna E Mobile"...Clem thought...)

There was an inscription of "Eternity is Ours" inside the ring...

I suspect this may be wedding ring from WTB human counterpart's 1880 marriage to Slayer Cicely Addams...

(It's that amazing brain of yours that keeps me assigning you these arduous tasks, moron...the First glared at the report...

Still...It is something...)

WTB made joke about keeping ring for pawning purposes when no well-loaded dinners are at hand...Cautioned me not to mention ring to Drusilla...

No word of Angelus, according to WTB, who seemed glad (and how) to have him gone...

Shame...They were like brothers once...

Sunnydale...2001...

"Surveillance Report # 12,071..."Operation Spike..."

Drinks at local bar with WTB...WTB once again denouncing Slayer Buffy Summers as "golden-haired bitch vomited from Heaven..."

It's definitely love...

Follow-up to report 12,067...I am convinced there is a psychic link between Ms. Summers and WTB...WTB has continued to mention past since spending night with Ms. Summers at local bar...Many references to the "other bitch" mentioned in last century's reports... ("Look it up, you moron!"...Flaming letters searing on to Clem's brow...)

Supplemental report for Report #12,071...

It was noted in report #6001, ma'am...

(I'm beneath her, she said, William told me...

...Jesus...)

Surveillance Report # 12, 073..."Operation Spike"...

Apologies for lack of reports in past six months...WTB's been busy...

Slayer engaged with goddess Glorificus...WTB concerned...

Slayer Ms. Summers' mother ill...WTB concerned about that too...

WTB generally pretty much focused on Slayer Ms. Summers these days...Surprised to find Slayer Ms. Summers seems comforted by his presence, though she continues to threaten him with staking should his "chip" (see report #10,902) fail...

(Wish he hadn't told me about lurkin' in her cellar and collectin' her old clothes...Clem thought, wincing slightly...)

Surveillance Report # 12, 101..."Operation Spike..."

Interesting development...Spotted WTB in graveyard being straddled by Slayer Buffy Summers...

She seemed quite happy about it...No signs of obvious thrall...Though Slayer's friends on arrival were not so pleased...

WTB rather oddly mum about development later when meeting for drinks and kitten poker...Seemed a little embarrassed when asked what Slayer was doing in his crypt when I arrived...Insisted Slayer "mad gone on him" when pressed after third round...

Correction...

Further surveillance indicates Slayer "mad gone" on WTB not Buffy Summers but robot copy...

Neat job, too...Very lifelike...

(She's so nice...Kissed my cheek and said any friend of Spike's was welcome to access programs 3-12 anytime Spike gave administrative permission and provided the password...)

Surveillance Report # 12, 202...

Note: Please delete reports 10,010 through 10,031; 11,063 through 11, 071; 11, 323 through 11, 325; 12,005...Slayer Ms. Summers' sister Dawn was a construct from an energy matrix...All memories associated with her are unreliable...

Slayer Ms. Summers defeated Glorificus tonight...Goddess is dead, killed while trapped in human shell by Slayer's watcher, Mr. Giles...She (Slayer) is dead also...

I'm convinced Slayer Buffy Summers was reincarnation of Slayer Cicely Addams Walthrop...However she failed to fully recognize WTB before her death...

So, I guess we won...

I don't want to do these anymore, ma'am...

I understand the consequences...

(I doubt that...The First, now in Buffy form, muttered grimly to herself...)

Rome...Night of the LA battle...

"William, William..."

"No...No, Slayer...Listen to me...I got him hid...He's alive...More or less...You gotta go...Survive...You'll find him later, I swear..."

"Clem?..." Buffy stared at him…"I left him…He was…"

"I know…Cicely…" he nodded, patting her gently, helping her up… She groaning from her wounds…Only a small force of Slayers having defied Giles' orders and backed her up…Now nearly all wounded or dead themselves…

"He's…"

"I'll bring him to you…I swear he's ok…" he nodded…

Yesterday…

"Clem...You know your career in Hell was toileted before, given your helping the Slayer against me...It's now completely flushed..." the First frowned...Flickering slightly in her Buffy form…

Poor thing, Clem couldn't help a sympathetic look which earned a glare…

Never quite the same since the amulet blasted her back to Hell…

"Yes, ma'am..." he sighed...Readying himself as best he could...Eye-gouging, flaying...Drawing, quartering...You can never really be ready for them but...

He eyed the pictures on her desk, grabbed from him on his return…Really shoulda thought before going hiking in the Canadian woods without a human costume…A beaming Buffy holding adopted Will, Jr, and her baby daughter, and a still rather hesitant but tentatively accepting daughter Dawn Amelia beside her eyeing her acknowledged father…A rather in his own right still stunned-looking William… "To Clem…The Walthrops…" the writing in marker across the photo…

"You're out, demon..." the First eyed him... "Hell will freeze over before her tender, warm bosom suckles the likes of you again..."

Ummn...?

"Well...You know what I mean...Guards, deposit this traitor at the gates of Purgatory...Hope you like punishment followed by white blankness, traitor..."

Ummn...Clem blinked...I'm out?...To Purgatory?...Meaning, a shot at...?

That's...It...?

A strange look in her eye... "Begone...Forever..."

Uh..."Yes, ma'am...Uh...Bye..."

Of course it could be a vicious joke...Best to be prepared to join in the laughter...

Still...I wonder what the punishment in Purgatory is for accidentally frightening a child to death...?

Of course I do have a few murders since then, but they were demonically inspired...I hear you get a break...Consideration...

Hmmn...He glanced down from the platform where the guards were chaining him, preparatory to his express elevator ride to another dimension...She staring up at him...A flash of a look coming over her flickering face...

Well, I'll be...No, actually I won't be...He thought, rather happily...


	7. Chapter 7

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVII... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (127) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

The offices of Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...The firm reconstructed by the intrepid former CEO from the old Wolfram-Hart, following its sudden collapse after the violent 'terrorist' attack on LA had been defeated...

Most of the damage...Thankfully confined to a few blocks...By now, one year later, repaired...

"You must be kidding..." a firm refusal on the part of the last named partner, William Soames Walthrop, currently seated in his senior partner's office...The remaining partners, Charles Gunn and Dr. Winifred "Illyria (nickname the boys gave me, Mom)" Burkle-Wyndham-Price ("Dad, we were gonna call right after he asked but then that attack, you know..."), watching from their chairs with considerable interest...As was Angel's beloved spouse, Nina Angel...

"You were thinking of going to England for a while..." Angel pointed out... "And we need a partner to handle these negotiations with the Council if our rescue operations are gonna succeed..."

Save 'em, not kill 'em...I still don't think I've quite wrapped my mind around this one...Charlie noted quietly to Illyria...Who shrugged...Not the warrior queen to ask, kiddo...

Still, if Angel and Will want to try...

"So you go...Or just pick up the phone...You've got me loaded down with the European reorganization and that branch of our little rescue project...I'll be tied up for months...Then I'm going for a well-deserved vacation...Look up my roots...See if any family's left...Or any victims of Spike from our little effort who need help...And I have my boy and...Look, I'll have no time..."

"Will...She's with the Immortal in Rome...She probably won't even be there...You just need to settle things with Giles and the Council...It's important to get them to agree to let us have our chance...Restrain their Slayers till we can get things ready to use the modified spell...Lives and souls depend on this...A phone call won't do and I'm tied down here...Besides, you know Giles and I have a history...A bad one..."

"And we don't?...He tried to kill me, you know...And he..." a hesitant tone...

"...I'm sure he wouldn't have been able to help Winifred by then, Will..." Illyria, quietly...

"No offense or blame intended, love..."

"It's ok..." she smiled, a little wanly... "You guys are always much too nice about...Things..."

"Not at all...Well..." he returned to Angel... "The bottom line is..."

"He owes you...You didn't kill his girlfriend, you saved his little Slayer girl...And you were an innocent soul when he tried to kill you...He owes you and he knows it...That'll help...Plus, if necessary..."

Nina looking rather carefully at both Angel and William...

"Oh, no...No..."

"I'm not saying you'd have to ask her to help...Just remind him she'd probably back you if you did...C'mon Will...This is important and you're headed that way anyway...So you start the vacation first, right after this..."

"Look..."

He caught Nina's nervous glance...Please...?

Oh, Lord...Mum, this is your fault...Pounding it into my head from birth...A gentleman never refuses a lady...Till even Spike was polite with Joyce and such...

Poor kid...He sighed within...I think I see now who decided Angel was too busy to go to this thing...

"Another month's vacation...And no questions about how I operate in Europe...Just clean up any demonic messes I have to leave in settling things...I'm not pussy-footing around with any troublemakers with my boy in harm's way..."

"I said I'd leave that up to you...Just don't get into the papers too much..."

"When's and where's the damned thing...?"

"Next week...London...Giles is holding a full session including Slayer representatives from around the world..."

"What?...She'll be there!..."

"She and the Immortal are on their honeymoon...They're going to his estates in Greece next week...She won't be there..."

Will frowned... So you say...

"You'd be less likely to see her in England than in Italy next week..." Angel pointed out...

"""

London, one week later...New Antiquarian Hall of the Royal Council of Antiquarians and Library Scientists...

A dignified Andrew Wells in suit, dignified as befitting the Vice-Chairman of European Field Operations...Ignoring the slightly mocking looks of several young Observer candidates he passed...

Kids...

...Strode toward the tables now set up for the reception of various international dignitaries and Watcher/Council groups from around the world for the first full session of the Council since the destruction of the old Hall by the First Evil's minion, Caleb...

Hmmn...He caught a brief glimpse of a slight fellow, brown-blonde in suit...But it was the nervous-looking, shy brunette on the man's arm who seemed to be drawing stares...

Holy...! He looked round for the nearest Slayer...Gretchen...

One of the small but growing crowd now talking to the increasing nervous girl excitedly...

What the...? No, wait...My gosh...She's got a pass...

So it's true?...Angel really did?...

Drusilla...With a soul...

Wow...And...

Oh, no...God, no...He looked for an immediate escape route...

"Andrew?..." William called...

His way blocked by the growing crowd moving toward the surprise of the conference...

Poor Dru clearly terrified by the attention...William trying to gently urge folks to back off a bit...

A guard pushed through to Andrew...A little anxious to explain... "They've been cleared, sir..."

"Yeah, yeah..." he waved a hand...

The Chairman didn't say a word...Not a word...

Oh, God...

"Andrew...We're a bit overwhelmed by the kindness here..." Will had managed to push through to him, a rather quaking Dru holding to his arm with a vise grip...

"You know Ms. Waverly..."

"I never..." Dru hesitated... "You're not someone It..."

"No, Dru..." Will patted her arm hastily... "You never harmed Andy here...He works for the Council of Watchers...He used to work with Ms. Summers' people in Sunnydale..."

"Oh?..." she nodded vaguely...

"Andy, can't you get us out of this?..." Will indicated the crowd... "I didn't realize we'd attract so much attention..."

"Everyone is very kind..." Dru noted, nervously...Hastily signing a photograph book thrust at her by an over-eager young Slayer... "Very kind..." she repeated...

"Elise..."Andrew frowned at the girl...

"Sorry, sir..." Elise dutifully nodded, turning to head off in triumph...Got it!...

More Watchers, Slayers, various attendees moving their way...

"This way..." Andrew sighed, pointed...Ordering the guard still by him to clear a path...

"So very kind...Oh..." Dru halted, staring at one Watcher giving her a rather grim stare back...

"Very, very sorry, sir..."

"Come on, Dru..." Will tugged her along...Andrew pulling out handkerchief, mopping sweating brow as they proceeded slowly...

"Wait!..." a Slayer pointed... "It's William...!" she cried...Slayers around the hall, in the crowd all suddenly transfixed...

Oh, Jesus...Andrew groaned...

"William!..." "Spike, I love you!..." "William, it's William!..." cries from around the room... "Oh, gosh, William's alive!..."

Funny, Will thought...Eyeing Andrew who had hand to head...What to do, oh God?...

Surely everyone knew ten seconds after he got back to England that time...Still, I suppose some of the international Slayers never got the word...

"Andy?...Can we go...?"

"God, yes...Lets get out of..." the crowd, a bit thinner in this area, parted a little...

"What were you...?" a slight brunette in suit, talking with an eager Elise...Who turned her slightly to face the group moving their way...

You bitch...the now doomed Andrew fumed in rage...This is just because of that extra training session last week, isn't it?...

The brunette blinking at William, then Dru...Drusilla's face amazingly managing to turn a even paler shade...

"You're...?" the brunette nearly keeling...

I'm dead...Andrew noted, resignedly... "Get the Chairman..." he hissed to the guard... "Get him...Quick..."

No need, sir... the guard pointed to Rupert Giles now moving to them, turning to assist the staggering brunette...

"Buffy...?" William stared at the brunette...

When the devil did she stop?...

Dru looking behind for an exit...Though not releasing her grip on Will's arm... "Is that...?" she whispered...

"Yes...But Buffy won't hurt you, love..." Will, a rather vague pat on arm...

"No..." Dru whispered, eyes bulging now... "It's...Her..."

"Buffy..." Giles was helping Buffy...Startled as she shook him off rather violently...An icy stare at him...

Andrew carefully edging toward the thinner part of the regathering crowd...

There might still be a chance to slip out and head for Mehico on the first plane...

"Andrew..." icy tone...

She has been in England for a bit...Will thought...

"Get over here..."

"Buffy..." Giles began...Halting at her glare...Ummn...

"Just a moment..." she waved him off, turning to William and the quaking Dru...

"You're alive..." she said...In a rather clipped British accent, though unmistakably, if somewhat dazed, Buffy...

"You're brown..." he smiled...

"You..." she stared at Dru now... A cold rage on her face...

The crowd standing round eyeing each other...Uh-oh...

Still nothing like actually getting to see the famed one making her moves...

"No..." Dru gasped a little... "Ma'am...I..."

"Buffy...Dru has a soul, she's fine now...Well, still a vamp like me but..." Will, reassuringly...

What's with her?...Can't believe Kendra meant that much to her all these years...

Buffy calming a bit...Right...Soul...

"Of course..." she nodded...Still white as the frightened Dru... "Hello...You murderous..."

"Buffy..." Giles tried...

Another hard glare...

"Sorry..." she turned to the puzzled Will... "I don't meet my resurrected lover and his murderess...Lover?..." hesitantly... "Every day..."

"Nice to see you too..." he stared... "Didn't Wells tell you?..."

"No..." she said, frostily... "Andrew?...You didn't, did you?..."

"Uh..." the hapless Vice-Chairman croaked out... "Buffy..."

"Very funny...Isn't very funny, William?..." she said, coldly...

"Buffy..." Giles cut in...Earning a look of adoration from Andrew... "I ordered Andrew..."

"I know..." she said, quietly...

"You tried to kill him...You wouldn't let him tell me...You tried to stop me from going through the archives..." she stated, flatly...

Amazing that accent...Will thought...

"You kept him from me, you bastard..." she finished, coldly...

"Buffy..." Giles tried...

"Buffy...I'm sure Rupert thought..."

"I know what he thought..." she replied...Startling him by suddenly shaking, clearly near tears...But she got hold of herself...

"And you two...Back together..." she eyed them...Focusing on Dru...Whose panicked face was quite reminiscent of a deer in headlights now...

"Us?..." Will blinked... "Oh, no..." he shook his head... "Ole Dru just needed an escort round England and Italy while she got her bearings and helped us out with some rescue work I'm hear to discuss with Giles...She's hoping to get the Pope's permission to let her resume her devotions..."

"Oh?..." Buffy blinked...

Dru getting a slight clairvoyant notion that things were not quite so desperate, calmed a little...

"That's wonderful...Maybe I can put in a good word?..."

"Or maybe your new husband?..." Will couldn't resist it...

"My what?..." she stared...

"His Benevolence...Your beau ideal..."

"My...What?..."

Giles now considering joining Andrew in his slow sliding toward the crowd's protection...

"Giles, Andrew...Stay here, please..." a calm, but deadly tone...

"My husband?...The Immortal?..." she eyed Will...

"Isn't he?...You and he were married a couple of weeks ago in Rome..."

Angel's boys were keeping tabs...He explained...

"No offense intended to your guy...We just knew him from the ole days and wanted..." he eyed her quivering face... "I mean, when I saw you with him and spoke to Andrew in Rome...He said you'd moved on and..."

Ah...Cha...Andrew, though fully accepting of his certain fate, could not resist a choked gasp...

"When you saw me in Rome?...And spoke to...Andrew...?" she repeated...

"It was merely for your own protection, Buffy..." Giles began...

"You really should have burned everything Caleb missed, Mr. Giles..." she waved him off, coldly... "But that's right..." she held up her left hand, a gold ring on fourth ring... "You couldn't have burned this...Even if you'd melted it down, I'd've found it..."

So...Is she married or...? Will, bemused...

"Buffy...William...You must understand that the Council honestly feared..."

"For itself...With good reason..." Buffy nodded calmly at Giles...

"What is this all about...?" William stared at them... "It wasn't you in Rome?..."

"We had a wonderful actress..." Andrew noted... "For Buffy's protection, of course...It just worked out well for His B and ..."

He wilted under Buffy's cool stare... "...they just hit it off..."

"Get out of here...Both of you..." Buffy said quietly... "And please see to Drusilla here...My husband and I have to talk...Please go with Mr. Wells, Dru...No one's going to hurt you...I'm sure Chairman Giles can help with the Pope...The Council has great influence in the world...I can testify to that..."

"Oh? When did you and the Slayer...?" Dru, feeling a bit more secure, politely addressing the dazed William...

"1880...March..." Buffy explained... "We met but I looked different then, excepting the hair now..."

"Oh...Of course...Cicely, wasn't it?..." Dru, brightly...

"Cicely..." Buffy nodded...

"I'm very lucky to be alive aren't I...?" Dru eyed her...

"Yes..." Buffy nodded... "But I can't and won't blame an innocent soul...We'll all get together later..."

All of us...She eyed Giles and Andrew narrowly...

"Cicely...?" William gasped...

"Dad?..." Dawn, suddenly breaking through the crowd, staring at William and Dru, now moving to take Andrew's arm...

LA...

One hour later, London time...

"Angelus...You son of a...!" Giles' raging voice over the line...

"So it went well, eh?..." Angel grinned over to Nina... "Glad to be of service, Giles...Give our best to Cicely and William..."

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXVIII...**

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!...

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (128) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

"Yes, put her through…Hello, Buffy…What?..."

"Yes, I've seen the papers…" Giles eyes paper in hand… "…I'm sorry about Angel…I…"

"Well, Buffy…As Chairman of the Council, I must consider all potential risks to our Slayers and I did have good reason to think…"

"If I'd truly wanted Angel dead, Buffy…After all, dear, I could have ordered the local California Slayers to leave LA…And they were decisive in…What?...Well…Buffy, I'm sorry he didn't tell you himself but I think Angel made his decision long ago…Frankly dear, I never really thought…What do you mean, 'take a close look'?..."

Eyes photo over story… "Famed CEO of former Wolfram-Hart weds…"…Angel in wedding tux, Nina in bridal dress on arm, beaming for camera…Young Connor to the side looking very content…Some slight rather mousy girl to his right, holding his arm…A beaming young black man beside her…

Some slight fellow to Angel's left…

"Well…The girl…Nina What'shername?...Is a brunette, but she doesn't look anything like Drus…What?...Buffy, I really don't think there's any need for…Shit!..." he stared again at the slight blonde-brown haired figure next to Angel uncomfortably in tux reluctantly smiling at camera…

Damn…

Still…There's no reason she should think…

"Sorry my dear…Well, yes…It does look vaguely like Spike, but... My dear, really…"

"Are you accusing me of?...That's hardly fair, Buffy…Even if he were back, somehow…Highly unlikely, dear…Do you really think Andrew and I would have…?"

He blinked at the phone...

Never knew she knew words like that...

"Buffy...Now you know Mr. Wells always had a tendency to exagg...What?...What do you mean if it's 'ok by the Vice-President of the US'?...Under what?...Buffy?...You left Andrew where?..."

"Dear, really…Buffy…Would you please calm down?...What do you mean the First was more honest with you?...Buffy?...Hello, Buffy?..."

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXIX... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (129) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

"Yes...This is the former corporate global headquarters of Wolfram-Hart, Inc...But we're now Angel, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, Gunn, and Walthrop...Inc... "

"No...He's retired...Permanently...Yes, the same for Mr. Joseph and the rest of the Senior Partners...Would you like me to...?"

"No...We don't carry out assassinations...No, I'm afraid not even if the target is 'kind of evil himself'...Though we do protect the...Why, yes, this is Ms. Kendall, Mr. Angel's..."

Pause... "Sure I do...You still owe me for the movie tickets...No, I wouldn't...No...Look, I have a soul again...And I'm working...Now do you want me to put you through to Mr. Angel or...? I just told you we don't do that...No, the Partners lost and good...er, Good...Prevailed...Didn't you get the memo from Hell?..."

"I tole you I'm at work now...And I wouldn't...At least not with you...And I should tell you we're tracing all calls from former clients...Hello?...Heeelllo?..."

Hmmn...William was right...Harmony reflected, hanging up...It does work...

"Hello...?" she caught the next in series... "Oh, hello...Yes, I'll try and put you through again...Yeah..." curt tone... "It is me...And can I say, thanks for all the help you gave me back in Sunnydale...Just a minute..." she pressed a button...

Dum...dum...dee...da...dum...She eyed the blinking light on her console...

Dum...dum...She observed her nails carefully...Dee...da...

Still...I am a professional...With soul...

She sighed and pressed another button...

"Angel?...She's back on line 3...You want me to tell her to get lost again?..."

I'm so sorry...Mr. Angel is so very busy what with the reorganization and all...she mentally rehearsed...

"Oh?...You sure?...Oookkk...Will do..." she frowned at the phone but pressed the button on line 3...Then held the other lines...

"Mr. Angel..." she told the mouthpiece...

Hmmn...She eyed the phone in her hand...

Just because I have a soul doesn't mean I can't have a little fun...She plugged in her headset and putting phone down in cradle, pressed a button...

"Well, Buffy..." Angel's voice... "I'm really sorry but it's true... I am very busy with the reorganization..."

Thanks, Boss...Harmony grinned...

Always great to have back-up from one's superior...

"And I've already told Giles...I can't..."

"Angel..." Buffy's voice, plaintative...

"Buffy, you have 20,000 plus Slayers available...What do you need me for?...And you've got His Benevolence on your dance card...Hmmn?...Really?...Well, ok...On your side...Just a minute...Harmony, get the hell off this line..."

Shoot...She pressed the line button and the light went out, unplugged the headset, and glancing around out at the hall before her office...Only workmen moving about on reconstruction tasks...Carefully slid her chair closer to the door to Angel's office...Putting her blood glass to the door, ear pressed against the bottom of the glass...

"Well, tell him I'll look forward to reading his latest..." Angel's faint voice... "Buffy, I understand that but I have responsibilities, too...Even if my books aren't vital to restoring the world's spirit, I have a major business to rebuild and redirect toward the Light side...People depending on me for their livelihoods..."

"That's not fair, Buffy...Most of these folks didn't even know what the firm was up to on the darker side of the balance sheet...And some of them were victims whom we've restored or are rescuing..."

Damn tootin'...Harmony glared...

"Hell, Wolfram-Hart ran hospitals and charitable institutions too, you know...And on top of that I have a son and a fiancee..."

Nina will appreciate the upgrade...Harmony thought...

"Yes, fiancee...No, it doesn't bother her...As a matter of fact she's very understanding, mainly 'cause she has her own troubles...Yes, Willow told you right, a werewolf...Pardon me?..." cold tone...

Whoops...Harmony listened intently...Always suspected Summers had an intolerant streak...

"That's not very nice, Buffy...Why is it you Slayers and your Watchers have this habit of always blaming the victim?..." Colder tone...

Long pause...

"Ok..Fine, forgotten...Yes, she is a wonderful person...In fact right now she's pouring through the old records we secured, looking to see if there's a way to keep Angelus away forever...And find herself and maybe Oz a cure...You and Willow do remember Oz?..."

"Well, he'd love to hear from you two... Anyway, Buffy...I don't see...No, I didn't mean anything...I know you were busy saving the world...Of course I did find time to see you after your mom died...Not to mention coming to Rome when I thought the Immortal was bad news..."

"All right, fair enough...I wasn't much help after you resurrected...Look, I wasn't meaning to reproach you either...Buffy, the bottom line is that my precious ass is at least as precious to me and some folks here as His Benevolence's and your Slayers'...Plus they need my signature on the paychecks...But I would be happy to see if any of my people would be willing...What?..."

"Oh?...Yes, it would be really nice if some Champion were at hand to help you out in this crisis..." he said, drily... "Yeah, it's a pity William's gone for good..."

Oh, please...Harmony frowned...

"Rumors?...What 'rumors'...?"

"Well, Buffy...As head of a major corporation I have to tell you as one CEO to another...You can't gamble on 'rumors'...What?..."

"Oh...Andrew said that, did he?...Well, you know Andrew...He always struck me as kind of...Say, just when did Andrew say that?..."

"Really?...And you've waited all this time to try and confirm this wild story...?"

"Now, Buffy...Say, would you like to hear another wild rumor?...I've heard the craziest story that those cyborgs sent to kidnap me a while back...The ones who used poor Wes' dad's face and personality for their leader...Were working for your Council?...Crazy, isn't it?..."

"Oh did he?...And you just kinda went along with it, eh?...Thanks for that show of support, Ms. Summers..."

"Fine..." curt tone... "I understand you nearly let the world be destroyed for your little girl's sake...?"

Huh?...Harmony blinked...

"Well, to me, Dawn doesn't exist as your sister...I had all spell traces removed from me years ago for my protection...I don't remember her outside meeting her after I left Sunnydale...For me, she's your daughter...Well, if I ever meet her socially I'll try to do that..."

Dawn?...Oh, right the artificial sister/energy key...

"It's nice you're taking an interest in him, Buffy...He'd've been pleased..."

Long pause...

Oooh...Angel...Harmony sighed a bit...

"Buffy?...I'm sorry...That was a little mean...No, no...Buffy, c'mon...You know he's a survivor...He's fine...Yeah...I wouldn't lie to you about that...He's just fine..."

"Well sure...He's not a monk, Summers...But no one serious that I know of..." he paused...

"Did you get that, Harmony?..." he called...

She moved away from the wall...For a moment...

Then cautiously eyeing the still-closed door moved back...

"Of course she's still listening...Harmony, don't forget the notes for my meeting at 3..." he called...

She managed to repress the urge to "Yeah, boss..."

"He's not going to consider it...'Cause I'm not telling him..."

"No, I won't...Buffy, he doesn't deserve this...He's got a soul...He's not vamp fodder for the grist mill...Plus he has his own responsibilities these days..."

"No, not Dru...Though he did help me rescue her...By the way, please don't let your people kill her when she comes to Rome, I already told Giles she has a soul again and she's just trying to get permission from the Vatican to rejoin her order...Thanks...No, actually...He has a son..."

Long pause...Harmony frowning after a bit...

Boss...That was a little...

"Buffy?...No...Adopted...Yes, adopted...He saved a baby from some demons after his parents offered to sacrifice him...Actually, he does look a lot like him...And he's just a toddler...Will can't just run off and throw his life..."

"Of course he would...He already did...Who do you think came with me to Rome, as if you didn't already know?..."

"Oh?...So now you'll get Willow to do a spell?...He might have appreciated that back when he materialized here..."

"No, I didn't...But I didn't know William then...And I did know Spike..."

"Fair enough...Yes, I was a little jealous..."

"Fine...A lot jealous...But why didn't you come when Andrew found him here?...Buffy, he lay in our hospital for a week with his hands stitched on, because he'd tried to save that crazy woman Dana for your sake as much as his redemption...Why didn't you come then?...Or at least after he came to Rome with me for you..."

"Well, I can tell you why...He was afraid you'd say you were 'glad to see him...But'...And then after Andrew told us you'd moved on..."

"Well, so do we...He, most of all...Anyway, I'll inform my people and if any of them..."

"Some are...Though your Council would have to pay them...They're not in it for the joy of protecting Humanity...Of course some might do it free just to suck up to me or your Council..."

"I told you, no...You want to see him, come over and track him down...It wouldn't be that hard, he's a partner in a multinational corporation that's on the front page of quite a few magazines and newspapers..."

"Yeah...He still writes poetry..."

Long pause...

Sigh...

"Yeah...Of course he does...He always will...But it's not fair of you to..."

"No, I told you...No one else...Seriously, anyway...So, about this crisis..."

"What do ya mean, it's nothing?...Yes, he still writes poetry...Much to my horror..."

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXX... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (130) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

This one plays with events in London before the action of "Heliophobia"…Although I do plan to tweak that story a bit sometime, this doesn't quite fit but I'm intrigued by some notions, so…

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse at . , scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

London…An elegant converted townhouse now the site of a law firm...

"It's very kind of you to show me around, Mr. Knowles…I appreciate it..." Buffy in rather chic white overcoat, green suit, a wan smile to the kindly face of the early-sixties?...she judged…lawyer…Brushing a loose strand from the carefully pinned mass of her hair...

"A pleasure to show it to one of our American side, Mrs. Walthrop… There's so few of the family left around here these days…" he returned the smile, moving to the first door in the second floor hallway he'd led her to…

And a pleasure to encounter such a sweetly old-fashioned type...Haven't seen a young woman wearing hair that way in twenty years, outside of television or movies...Nice to know the US branch has kept the standards up...

Sounds from below, where glancing over the elegant restored railing of the balcony hallway she could see several staff scurrying about below…

She instinctively put a hand to touch…No…She looked…

"Gone?..." she half-whispered…

"Mrs. Walthrop?..." Knowles called to her…

"I…" she looked over the carved railing again…The room was not so crowded but there were carpets laid and hangings of fabric on the walls…Gas lights burning brightly, a candle or two in places…James serving…She gripped the railing…Kneeling…

Had to hide…In a moment she'd be going down…Where all of them…Where he… Was awaiting her…

"Mrs. Walthrop?...Is something wrong?..."

"The lion's gone…" she looked up at him...Blinking a bit…

"Lion?..." he eyed her… "Do you mean the brass one?..." He cocked his head a bit… "It's been sold by the firm to Sotheby's…Didn't quite fit the décor up here…How did you know?..."

"Saw it in a photograph…Back home..." she quickly replied, turning away…

So that's where you stayed…Bitch…she thought…Hiding…While…

She came over to Knowles… "Sorry to keep you waiting…Yeah, my mom had one of it in her old photos…"

"It was a shame to lose it…I would have purchased it myself if I could've afforded it…"

"She used to…My namesake…I think she used to play with it a lot…The lion…My mother told me stories about it…"

"It was a noble beast…" he smiled... "Right out of "Narnia"…Hopefully they found it a good home…I think this room is still not in use yet…" he opened the door…

She moved to the door frame and peered in…Brushing hair back…Always coming down when I wear it this way, she noted apologetically to Knowles…

Dawn's puzzled look the day she came out, hair piled…You look like you're trying out for an old movie…

Henri likes it, she'd told her…Not quite ready to discuss it, then…She looked into the room...

Papa moving me round the floor…I must learn to dance like a lady…Like Mother…She eyed the old rug…

"You haven't changed things…?"

"Not much in here…The wallpaper had to be restored but we were fortunate to find it was still available…" Knowles noted…

I have something to tell you, William…She saw his worried face…Have I done wrong?...His eyes staring up at her from the seat he'd taken on her bed…Nervous that Father would come looking for her…Had to be done quickly…

Henry's found a minister…Who'll do it…Tonight…

Don't you believe me?...She stared at his nervous face…Didn't he?...

I meant every word…I…

Betrayer…Liar…Coward…

You lied to him…You left him…Always…

"It's amazing…" she gave Knowles a smile…Moving slowly about…

But not here…They didn't bring us here…After...

"This was the daughter's room, I believe…Cicely's room…"

"Yes…" she nodded…

He couldn't believe his luck…That she really meant it and…Oh, God…

She put hands to her head…Not again…She closed her eyes…

"No, you don't…" his words lingering…

And I left him…Just as she did…

And now…Now…Her dead hand on his heart forever…She won't let him live…

And I...

No, you don't...The whisper...

Please...Please...She closed her eyes...Oh, God...Please...Just one more chance...

"Mrs. Walthrop?..."

"Sorry…A bad headache…" she put her hands down…

But she still saw him…Burning, alone…And all for…

Well, at least not for Dru…Poor kid…

But not for me…Not really…Not for me...

She calmed...Her face setting...

But it will be for me…What ever I have to do…

I'll beat her...And free him...

"There used to be a back stairway…To the roof…In here…?"

"Yes, it's right up there…Pulls down…" Knowles pointed…

Up there on the roof…The first night?...No, later…I…She wanted to prove a point…Some star that wasn't blue?...

First time he touched me besides taking my hand…Helping her up the stairs…

I stumbled a little…Deliberately, so he'd hold me…

But it wasn't here where they brought us…Her…And…Dawn…

"And there's an old sitting room next door…But that's being replastered…It'll be an office…I'd show you the old master bedroom, Sir Richard's old room but it's in use by one of our seniors…"

"He'd be pleased to know an important man was using it…Sir Richard, I mean…" she replied…

"Yes, I suppose so…" Knowles eyed her… "You've learned a great deal about your husband's family, Mrs. Walthrop. Not that many people know of Sir Richard these days, especially outside of England…"

"My family actually, since I'm an Addams…I mean…" she paused… "I'm a descendant…"

"Yes, I remember now that you'd mentioned it…How did you manage to meet a Walthrop?...Are the families so well known to each other in America?..."

"I guess we kept in touch…Somehow…" she smiled… "I met him at a sort of family get- together one fall years ago…Over time we found out we shared a lot of the family history…" She stared at the closed door to the old master bedroom as they passed…

"That's good to hear…That the family continues to be close in the United States…" Knowles nodded…"I'll have to come over sometime and trace that side…"

"We'd love to have you…Though since my mom died the family hasn't met… But my husband is always ready to tell what he knows of the stories…"

"Indeed…Well, not much more we can see up here…There's an old sitting room that belonged to…"

"Mrs. Addams…" Buffy nodded…Peering into the room…Elegant old wallpaper of green and gold… "You've changed the carpet…" she noted…

"Yes, it was too worn to save…And the pattern couldn't be replicated within our budget…Still, not too off a match, I hope…"

"Very nice…" she stared…

Father kept it so long…Exactly as she'd left it…Wouldn't even let me move a few things…I could see he hated to see me in there…I looked so like…

She blinked hastily…

Fine...Fine, have your fun…But not till we strike a deal, lady…

And Henri agrees…

But we have to be quick…He's human, vulnerable…

And God knows I'm not losing him to some cute girl in LA 'cause he's given up on me…Or Dru changes her mind again…

Dru…

We can agree on that one, can't we…Cicely?...Human or no, Drusilla is not going to win…

Big vows, Summers...But you nearly lost him to her without so much as… Words not deeds…Deeds are what matter…He knew that...

"Deeds…" she whispered…

"Mrs. Walthrop?..."

"Hmmn?...Sorry, I was thinking of Sir Richard…A man of many deeds…"

"Yes, quite…And a tragic figure, at the end, rather…"

"Yes…" Oh, poor papa…So alone…What did you do without even me to ease that loneliness?...

"Wife lost in childbirth…Daughter died as a young woman…"

Like mother, like…

"What, Mrs. Walthrop?..."

She hadn't realized she'd spoken the words…

"I think the daughter…Cicely…Died in childbirth as her mother did…"

"Really?...In childbirth?...I'd known she'd married just before her death but…"

"Her husband…William…Died just before her…"

"Your husband's people…?"

"Yes…His side…I never…" her voice trailed a bit…

"Sorry, Mrs. Walthrop?..."

"I don't know about them…I never asked him about them…My husband…"

"I think one did well in munitions during or before the First World War…A brother of the William who married your ancestor, I believe…"

"I never asked…" Buffy repeated…Nodding vaguely to Knowles' words, brushing hair back lightly…

"It's strange sometimes how little we know about the people we love… Their family histories, their childhood…" Knowles noted kindly…

"The things they had to endure to be with you…" Buffy said quietly, staring at the wallpaper a moment…

"I'm afraid the garden has been built over in front…There once was a fine overlook down that way…" Knowles nodded in the direction of the hallway running toward the front of the house.

"That's too bad…"

"Yes, a pity...But...Too much of an expense for us to maintain, I'm afraid...Would you like to see the lower level?...There's been some work and in fact we just uncovered a little mystery..."

She looked at him...

"Some rooms, sealed off from the current rear of the house...Our architect and I suspect it may have to do with the fact that the Addams' were closet Catholics..."

"The chapel..." she nodded...

"Yes, quite...Even in the nineteenth century it wasn't something every prominent family would advertise..."

I'd've loved to have been married there...But Papa would surely...

So cold there...In the dark...Papa used to tell those stories about the priest they caught in the old manor...

Cold...Dark...But not lonely...

"...but why it would have been sealed up..." Knowles shrugged...

"Lets have a look...If you wouldn't mind...?" she paused, nearly at the stairs...

"Certainly...We will have to be a bit careful...It's still being opened up...But the workmen have put in some lighting... " he waved her on and she continued onto and down the staircase...Passing the busy first floor...Down...

I've felt this before...Once...

But I was digging my way out then, not crawling back in...

Oh, William...Don't abandon me...Not now...

They stood in a large room on the lower floor...Covered gas and plumbing fixtures about...A large old sink to their left...Brick, whitewashed walls...

"Kitchen here..." Knowles waved at the old fixtures... "Just a storage area now...And through here...Laundry room...And..."

He paused at the rear of the laundry...Nothing but file cabinets in it now...She eyeing the wall...Not quite able to stare at it for more than seconds...

"And down here is where they realized the wall had been blocked off and we got permission to pierce the wall..." he waved at a large opening, torn into the wall...He reached to a jury-rigged fixture and snapped a switch...Lights came on in the room beyond...

"Please be careful..." he told her...

"Yes..." she nodded... "I'd better be..."

Here...I'd better be...

She stepped inside, carefully protecting her coat from catching on the torn bricks...

Another large room, not different from the laundry, though fewer fixtures about...

"Back there..." she moved on...Passing into another room...Where a long wall was heavily paneled in carved wood...

"Magnificent isn't it?..." Knowles stared at the paneling... "This must have been the chapel..."

"Yes..." she nodded... "The altar was there...Nothing very big..." she pointed to where a rectangular black space could be seen on the floor...As if something large had been moved away...

"I think you're right...It must have been removed at some point..."

She stared at the long sweep of carved wood paneling...

"This is different..." she touched a large square...Which appeared no different from the rest...

"You think so?..."

"Listen..." she tapped the wood...He came and put an ear closer, imitating her own move...

"Yes...I hear it...Hollow, you'd say?..."

"I think I can..." she carefully pulled at a piece of molding on the panel...Working it gently to the eye but with concentrated, concealed force...

God, I hope I don't...The panel moved back...

"Well, hollow it is..." Knowles stared... "How did you guess...?"

"Mom must have mentioned it..." she said, hurriedly...Pushing the large panel to the side...A space large enough...

"Do you have a flashlight...Or can that reach...?" she indicated a work light hooked to a chain on the brick wall to their left...

"Just a minute..." he moved over to the work light and carefully lifted it off its hook...

"You'd better let me..." she took the light from him and turning, stepped inside before he could protest...

He followed, frowning slightly... "Mrs. Walthrop, please be careful...I..."

He froze at her sharp scream...Not a frightened cry...More like...

Rage...

"Mrs. Walthrop?...Are you all right?..." he came over to where she stood, the light a bit weak for the room's blackness...

"Murder..." she whispered...Staring...

He peering at the large bronze plaque, set in stone into the wall...

"Cicely Anne Walthrop...1857-...My God..." he backed away...

So...There you are...Bitch...She stared...

Poor bitch...So that's what happened to you...That's why you didn't...

"They did this..." she whispered...

Oh, God...They did this...

Giles...Giles...No...

I didn't want to...Believe her...

Giles... All these years...And when he finally freed himself...And you could have told me...

"Buried...Here...?" Knowles shook his head...

"Why?..."

Giles...You...Bastard...Her hands clenching...

You knew...You knew...

That's why...You didn't need to kill Spike...

But William...She put her hands to her face...

"Murderers...All of you..." she whispered...

"Look..." Knowles, touching a lower plaque...

"What?..." she stared blankly...

"Another one...Amelia..." he began reading...

"...Dawn..." she said, staring at the words..."Amelia Dawn Walthrop... 1880-..."

"No death date..." Knowles pondered...

"Yes, there is..." Buffy said quietly... "It was all the same...The birth and death day..."

It was kind of Father, really...To put a proper plaque up...

"Mr. Knowles?...You've been so kind...Could you just let me have a moment here?..."

"What?..." he looked at her, still stunned...

"Just a moment..." she said, her accent rather clipped...Precise... "I'd like to say a prayer or two..."

"Well...Yes...If you'd like...But please, not too long, Mrs. Walthrop...We should get upstairs...I'll have to let everyone know...This is quite a..."

"Of course..." she nodded...Smiling... "I'll be out in just a minute..."

He left her, cautiously backing out...Wiping his brow as he emerged...

So...She eyed the plaques...

Here you are...But thanks to me...And the Benedictine monks...Dawn's free...And you're alone...

"What a fool you were, Cicely..." she told the plaque... "You couldn't even save Dawn...Didn't even manage to stake him..."

This'll be a piece of cake, sweetie...

Though I am sorry for Henri...I think he really did care for you...And he means well...

"But you'll have your chance...I'll keep my end...And when we get him over here...We'll see..."

Just don't count on my playing fair...Cause you've had your chances before, loser...And Buffy Summers has never lost a battle...

"And this..." she felt the chain on her neck and pulled up an antique pendant... "This is gonna be mine fair and square...William's gift to the woman who loves him...And didn't fail him...In the end..."

Sorry...She looked down to Amelia's plaque... "But you're mine as much as hers now, Dawn...And I swear...I'll give you your father back...Whatever it takes..."

"Loser..." she repeated bitterly, eyeing Cicely's plaque... "You won't keep him in there with you, bitch...Cowardly bitch..."

"Bring it on..."

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXI... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (130) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Office of the CEO, Wolfram-Hart and Associates , October 2003...

"I'll take that..." grab at envelope...

"Buffy?..." Angel stares at the newly materialized figure...

Geesh, that encounter with the First has aged her a couple of years...

"Ms. Summers, what are you doing here?..." Wesley staring...

"Wes..." Buffy nods... "Tell Charley Gunn...Forget the brain boosters...If you really love Winifred, her life depends on it..."

"Buffy...What the hell are you doing here?..." Angel asks... "Is something wrong?..."

"I'm altering the past...For love..." she notes... "Angel...I'm sorry that I let my anger get in the way...I know what you're up to here..."

"What?..."

"I won't let you down next time, I promise...Will and I will be there..."

"Buffy?..." Wesley, shocked... "Are you saying you've altered the timeline?..."

"Hell, yes..." Buffy nodded... "I found out about Cicely, Wes..."

Uh-oh...Wesley gulped...

"But, Ms. Summers...To alter the timeline..."

"Wes...If Star Trek, Inc can do it...I can..." she nodded... "Bye..."

"Buffy?..." Angel blinked as Buffy vanished...Bearing envelope...

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXII... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (132) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Los Angeles…

Yesterday…

New offices of Angel, Gunn, Walthrop, and Burkle-Wyndham-Price…

"You're really up for this?..." Angel eyes his partner… William nodding…

"Well, I gotta admire you…The Immortal is a challenge…Though it's odd there's been nothing new about the two of them in over three years…" he leaned back in his chair… "But I did think you and Fred-Lyria…"

"I said I hate that name…" Illyria in Winifred form frowned from her seat…

"Fred has a fella waiting, Angel…" Will smiled at her… "I may have been many things in my time but I've never stolen another bloke's girl…"

Angel blinking at that one…Oh, really…?

"…before it was over…Nina doing well at the 'spa'?...Osborne been dispensing useful advice?..." innocently…

"Yeah…Great…" narrow look…

"Anyway…Now we got the Partners finally licked once and for all, I thought I ought to see what's up in Europe with our favorite Slayer…"

"Reports are pretty scarce on her…" Angel shook his head… "I'm convinced she's deliberately been keeping a low profile at least since the Partners tried to grab and enslave those Slayers two years ago…Frankly I wonder if she and the Immortal as a couple was some kind of smoke-screen…"

"All the more reason for me to pay a call on His B…" Will noted… "He'll at least have some answers…And I do have some formidable support…"

"You got him?..." Angel blinked again… "I thought for sure he was dead…"

"Actually he's in our waiting room…Eighty-three years old and semi-retired but still the man to call for a mission like this…" Will noted… "If I may…?"

"I gotta see this…" Angel nodded…

"Harmony…" Will buzzed the intercom… "Send them in…"

"Harmony?..."

"Uh, yeah…" vague reply… Giggling laughter… "Oh, I'm only in my twenties…Even with the vamp body…" to someone…

"Harmony…" Angel cut in… "Would you please send our visitors in?..."

Ummn… "Yes, Mr. Angel…"

A group of five entered…One woman, four men…All a bit on the far side of senior…But all good-looking for their age and extremely well-dressed in suits and lead by a tall man in gray suit…Who, despite white hair and wrinkles had a bearing and projected a general air of confidence and well…

Illyria smiling brightly at his smile…

"Mr. Walthrop…My team…Paul Kinsey, Salvatore Romano, Peter Campbell, Peggy Olsen…"

Slight frown from Peggy…Lord, when is he gonna put me before Pete…

"Mr. Draper…My partners, Mr. Angel and…"

"Hi, Winifred Burkle…" Illyria smiled warmly, hastily offering a hand… Uh… "Burkle-Wyndham-Price…" Draper, warm smile, appraising look…

Sorry, Wes…Just lost it there a sec…

Peter Campbell frowning to Paul Kinsey…Damnit if Draper still hasn't got it…

"You suppose his wife still hasn't caught on since '63…?" he whispered…

"You wanna keep working…?" Kinsey returned…

Salvatore still shaking William's hand…Apparently reluctant to release…

"Well, our campaign…" Draper nodded to Kinsey and Ms. Olsen who pulled folders from their respective briefcases…Romano setting up on a laptop…

"In dealing with your Ms. Summers we thought nostalgia might be the way to go…" Draper noted… "It's delicate…But potent…Screen, please…"

Slide of Buffy facing William in battle appears…

"When I got my first job as a copywriter, I worked for an old Greek named Teddy…" Draper began, exalted look, persuasive voice… "Teddy once told me…"

"He's the best…" Will noted to Illyria…

"Yeah…Shhh…" she said, staring at Draper…

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXIII... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (133) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

The City of Angels…One more just arrived…

The night of the epic battle with the combined forces of the Senior Partners…

Now, despite the ridiculous odds at the opening, in full, disorganized retreat to their overloading Hell portal…

An anxious, weary-looking slight blonde-haired figure bending over what appeared to be a heap of debris or garbage covered in gore and a torn black jacket…But which in moving revealed itself to be…

"You're here…" he looked up at her through a world of pain…Recognition of her face slowly coming to him almost as if out of a mist… "You came…"

"Yes…I came…Now lets get you outta here…Are you in a lot of pain?...Can you lean on me?..."

"I'd say I can walk but the leaning thing is too good to pass up…" he grinned wanly…Feeble wave of arms…

She put her arm round him and his arm on her shoulder… "Ok, now…"

He groaned a bit as she raised him to his feet…

Careful…He looks bad…

I know that…

"Will…I'm sorry…" she turned to his battered face, pausing…He saw a tear run…

"Should we stop?...Should I put you down, get some help?..."

My dear God…You are now off the hook for my unjust condemnation, old fellow…He mentally, thankfully prayed…

"No, no…It's fine…Nothing that won't heal in a day…"

"Well, we'll let a doctor decide that…" she said firmly…

"Just don't go…" he looked at her face… "Even if this is just a dream before dying or you're the First or some shapeshifter…"

"It's me, Will…And I won't…"

"Angel...The boy…Lyri…" he looked around…

Lyri?...Is that the…

"They're safe, Will…The human guy…Charlie?..." she hesitated… "He's on his way to a hospital…Dr. Burkle's with him…" she paused again… "Is that her nickname?...Lyri?..."

"Yeah…" he nodded… "From her middle name…"

"Part demon, isn't she?..."

"Since her 'accident', yeah…"

"She was worried about you…But Angel and I told her we'd go on looking…Angel's somewhere about now…I'll see someone lets him know…"

I agree...I like William better…

Will you stop?...

Well, Angel's engaged or something isn't he?...

"That's great…" he was gasping a bit now…

"We'd better get a move on…Unless you need to…"

"I'm fine…Fine, now…"

He went limp and she took him up in her arms…

"Will…Will…"

Oh…Buffy…He's…

Quiet…He'll make it…We're going…

He opened his eyes…

"This one just keeps getting better…" another faint smile…

"I'll get you in now…" she said… "Just hold tight…"

"Forever…" he smiled…

They hurried on through the streets…The night lit up by the fires blazing merrily throughout the area…Consuming cars, buildings, the occasional screaming demon…Rain though was just starting to fall…

Hurry, hurry…

I am…I am…

"Will, are you ok?...Tell me to stop if you need me to…"

"Fine…fine…" fainter…

He's so much more beautiful than…

Yeah, yeah…Don't distract me…God knows what's still out here…I better keep talking…They say it's wrong to let somebody pass out after a head injury…

"Will…I'm sorry I didn't come before…" she spoke to him …

"How…Long…"

"Not long…A month…Andrew told me…"

"Really…" stronger voice, surprised… "Wells held out all this time?..."

Andrew…Anger…

Stop it…Giles told him not to…

"He wanted to tell me…Giles made him keep it to themselves…"

Damn…Is that the word?...Giles…

He was protecting me…He and you and I have a deal…And we are not gonna hurt him…You understand me?...

Yes…Reluctant…

"So, after Rome, eh?..."

He sounds better…Hurry up…

I don't want to hurt him more…

Tell him…That'll cheer him up…

Enough…

"He told me you were in Rome…" blurted…

Hey…What do you think you're doing?...

Sorry…But tell him…

"Did he?...Angel was there too, you know…"

"So he said…"

"Haven't read anything in the mags…How'd it work out?..." he asked, wearily…

See…He thinks…

I know…

"I wasn't with the Immortal, Will…That was a stand-in…An actress Slayer…"

"What?..."

I knew that would cheer him up…Look…

Stop it…

"Giles and Andrew thought I needed protection after Angel seemed to be going with the Partners…She was a very good copy…And was willing to take the gig…Also Giles wanted info on His Benevolence…"

"I rather suspected I was makin' a fool of myself…" whisper…

No…

"No, Will…It was beautiful of you…And Angel…Why didn't you try and…" she paused a second…

"…Punch his lights out…"

Good one…

Thanks…

Faint chuckle from Will… "God knows I wanted to…But I figured…" groan…

"Lets hold up a mo…I need to catch my breath…" she halted… "How are you?..."

Didn't you ever learn any medical procedures?...What do you call it…'First Aid'?...

I don't know anything that'll help here…He's a vamp…He'll either make it or…

"Help!...My William's hurt!..." she screamed suddenly…

"Buffy?..." William in her arms stared up at her…

Stop it…Don't do that again…

He needs help…

We have a deal and you're breakin' it…

Sorry…He needs help…

I know that!...

You don't care…You wouldn't even have come…

That's not true…

You could have come days…Weeks ago…We could've got here before he even…

Shut up!...

"Will, I'm better now…Are you ready to go?...We should get outta here…"

"Your call, love…I'm sure I'll go where you go…"

Move it!...

I said shut up!...But she hurried on…

"Will…Of course I came…But William…" Buffy sighed…

Not now…Buffy…

He needs to know…I won't let him die, thinking…

"I understand…" he said quietly… "I'm just glad you came…"

You told him you loved him…

I do…In my way…

"I'll always love you, William…"

In my way…Sarcastic…

Stop…

Where I come from…

You can do as you please…But here, you follow my lead…Or else…

Take me to Drusilla as soon as we get William safe…The Council's got her in confinement now…

You can't deal with a vamp…

I'll guide her…It'll save lives…Besides, she may opt for soul recovery…

Dru?...Please…

My mission with you is done…I have enough information…

Great, then you can go home…

"Leave me here, love…" whisper…

What?...Dual voices in head…

"I've no great wish to hang round…Let me go and see if I've made enough points to reach Heaven…"

"William, be quiet…"

"There's nothing for me here, Buffy…I have family in the afterlife…Just put me down and promise to think kindly of me…I'll be fine…"

Great job, Slayer…Sarcastic voice…

"No…" she replied to him…

"I'm not your burden, love…Let me go…" he feebly struggled…

"I can't…" she replied… "I won't…Besides, we're almost there…"

"Fine…" he sighed…

"I take it back…" she said, hastily…

"Sure…" he said, quietly… "I've never held you to…"

"No…That's not what I mean…"

"Buffy…We've never lied to each other…"

You didn't stop me…

No…I didn't…But leave this to me…

"I wanted to stay…At Sunnydale…" she said…

"That's not what I wanted, Slayer…"

"Why didn't you come to me?...Were you afraid?..."

"To death…Undeath…"

I see them…

Yeah…

"There's the disaster team…" she told him… "Just a little longer…You'll be fine…"

"Sure…"

"Give a girl a chance, Will…This is huge, you know…"

"Buffy…Don't…I'm sorry…I won't do anything…Just don't…"

"No, we love you…!"

"Well…Thank the Nibs for me…"

Damnit, I said!…

Sorry…

"We've gotta talk, Will…When you're better…Please…"

"Ok…"

I still say, take me to Dru if you aren't gonna…

Shut…The…F…Up!... She halted, nearly stumbling with him…

"Slayer?..." Will looked at her…

"Ummn…Sorry…Not you…"

"That was internal…" he said…Staring… "I'm still demon enough to sense that…When you shout at least…And I thought I heard…Whispering…Who's in there with you?..."

Oh-oh…Say, he's good…

I'll have to tell him…

Ok…Happy tone…And tell him I'll gladly take him off your hands…

In a whatever you use for a farm animal's eye…

"Yeah, there's someone else in here…" Buffy sighed…

"Not demon…I think…" he looked at her face…

"May I present my guest…Sorta…Malica…My visiting thing from another world…"

"Call me a visitor from Planet X…My people don't like to give away our stellar position till we know whom we're dealing with…" sheepish smile on Buffy's face…

"She's not in control…Just along for the ride…" Buffy explained as he frowned… "It's a deal between her folks and the Council…We were looking for new allies and they wanted more info about Earth…"

"I'm sorta an explorer and ambassador all rolled up in one…" she continued… "But like Buffy says, I'm not running her…" warm smile…

"I volunteered…We were worried what with some of the new Slayers turning to evil and Angel maybe lost to us…" Buffy shrugged…

"And our people were worried about your darker forces here…Some of them have been colonizing out in the Galaxy, you know…"

"I see…I guess…" Will stared…

"I'm not Evil, Will…Buffy can oust me at any time…But we oughta get you to the hospital…And let Angel know you're ok…"

"It really is ok, Will…"Buffy nodded… "But she's right, lets get you in, ok?...Then we can talk…"

"Dru's been caught…" she added hastily… "So if things don't work out…"

"That 'ousting' is starting to sound good…" Buffy said, coldly…

Just making my case, Slayer…

"I guess…I'm…Flattered…" Will blinked…

"You're the most wonderful creature I've ever…Jesus!..."

Like I said, Slayer…

"Very flattered…" he grinned…

"She didn't make me come, you know…" Buffy, grousingly…

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXIV... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (134) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

UCLA subcampus …Evening adult extension class…

"Lit 311… "Shakespeare, Swift, and Joyce…A brief tour…" written on the large chalkboard at the auditorium hall's front…Thirty-seven students scattered about the only room available…

"The word known to all men…" written and underlined on the board…The instructor eyeing the class as best he could, given the scattering…A few, mostly women concentrated in the first two rows…A number clearly in hiding in the sides and rear…

"Right then…Nice to see a few of you have returned…To return to the theme we began at the end of class Tuesday… '…the word known to all men…' in 'Ulysses'…We've established from the earlier passage in the National Library scene that the word Stephen wishes from his mother's ghost… '…the word known to all men…' is love…"

Oh, yeah…One young brown-haired woman in front row nodded eagerly at the young teacher, rather too-good-looking for such a class despite his sedate beige suit pausing before her…

That's that word…

"Now the lines we discussed confirming that from the passage include a line conjoining two phrases from Thomas Aquinas's 'Summa contra gentiles', namely distinguishing between two forms of love…That unselfish love which in the first six words 'amor vero aliquid alicui bonum vult' genuinely wishes another's good and the selfish desire of one to secure pleasure for him- or her- self 'unde et ea quae concupiscimus'…"

"Jesus…" one young man in the back, left side, reasonably secure from the teacher's direct attention, whispered to the girl next to him…She even better hidden by a cement pillar… "He's giving us Latin now?..."

"Shut up…" the girl whispered back…

The man frowned but, noticing that despite the distance the young brown-haired teacher was now clearly eyeing him, was silent, pulling back a bit in his chair…

So much for that…Girl's cute but just a bookhead…Like a lot of the girls in this damned class, he noted to himself…

Ah…Sides, she's wearin' a wig…Probably got cancer or something and she's all "soulful"…Not worth the trouble…He resumed the doodling in his notebook he'd been at since the class' start…God, did Jackie steer me wrong on this class… 'You'll get good lines to pick up girls', he said…

Uh-huh…What…Am I gonna quote Latin in a bar?…And all the good girls exceptin' Ms. Snotface here are down there droolin' at the guy…

"So we see the larger implications of 'Ulysses' follow from the accord of Bloom and Stephan Dedalus about love. If we consider the book as a whole, the theme of love will be seen to pervade it… 'Love's bitter mystery', quoted repeatedly from Yeats's poem 'Who goes with Fergus?' appears repeatedly, primarily as the song Stephen remembers having sung to his mother on her deathbed. Although Buck Mulligan is the first to quote the poem, he can't understand it, being a spirit that always denies. It's also alien to the experience of our womanizer Blazes Boylan. Yet Bloom understands it, and so does Molly, and both show us that they cherish moments of affection from their lives together as crucial points from which to judge later events."

Pen drop by a very young brown-haired woman in large hat, barely out of her teens if that, seated next to the woman in wig…She leaned to pick up the pen, holding hat firmly…

" …In the last episode of the book, Molly Bloom, after some equivocation between her physical longing for Boylan and her thoughts of Bloom, comes down firmly on the side of Bloom and of their old feelings for each other. 'Ulysses' ends in a vision of reconciliation rather than of sundering…"

Sound of book hitting floor…Hasty grab by woman in wig…

"Joyce, following his master, Dante, has made the case for love…Love in its various forms, sexual, parental, filial, brotherly, and by extension, social…Obliquely, to preserve the novel from didacticism or sentimentality…Like Dante, he tells us that affection between human beings, however transitory, however qualified, is the closest we can come to paradise…"

Oh…Yeah…Collective sigh from various women and men across the large auditorium…Gazes fixed on the teacher…He, catching, just a bit disconcerted for a second…

Ummn…He caught sight of the young woman usually hidden by the pillar…She staring back a moment, then pulling up her copy of 'Ulysses'…

"Ummn…Yes…That this affection may at times lose its force does not invalidate it…Dante claimed that Adam and Eve's paradise lasted only six hours and Proust reminds us that the only true paradise…" he stared again, a moment…

"…is the one we have lost…But, the word know to all men has been defined and affirmed, regardless of whether or not it may be subject to diminution…"

"Say, he's good…" Dawn hissed…Pulling hat down as the instructor eyed her as well…

"He went to Cambridge…" Buffy replied, a tad proudly, adjusting her brunette wig…

"How do you spell 'Aquinas'?" she whispered…

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXV... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (135) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

"Are you sure?…" Angel eyes William…

"Pretty sure…" sigh…

"Really…?" looks over to group of assorted demons, vamps, occasional well-heeled corporate human types…All clustered rather respectfully about a slight blonde female of human aspect, in rather dashing red and black ball gown…Hair elegantly piled, with tiara…

That look a somewhat more difficult thing to do that one might imagine… Both of our heroes currently swinging upside-down, bound and hanging from cables…Though only about twenty feet up…

"Angel…Don't be a putz…" another sigh… "She might be annoyed with us, want us out of her life, but even she wouldn't have us in this position…"

Hmmph…Angel shakes head…

And they claim he got to know her better than me…

"Boys…You comfortable?…" Grinning image of Buffy Summers in gown staring up at them…

"Only thirty minutes till dawn you know…I hope the…Suspension…Ain't killing ya…"

Hee…Chuckle…

"Watch…" Will hisses…Giving final rub to loosened shoe on right foot… Which dropped toward the ground…But, to Will's startled surprise…

"Ow!…" the figure howled, jumping back…

Right…Angel, smug look to his swinging…and twisting, slowly in the wind, partner…You know her so well, don't you?…

"It can't be…" Will blinked… "She must have found a way to go solid…"

"Jerk!…" she picked up and threw the shoe, missing him…

First or no, she throws like Buffy…Angel thought…

"Lower them!…" she cried, waving to the hulking demons demoning the pulley system to which their cables were attached…

The boys were lowered slowly until their heads were just above hers…

"Nice touch, girl…" Will, pleasantly… "How'd you manage corporeal?… Lindsay make a deal with you or something?…"

"That's some way to treat your girl, Walthrop…After she's done so much for you…" grin…

"She's gonna give the speech now…" Angel noted…

"Ah right, the Speech…Remember when I was Evil?…I never wasted time with the Speech…Or, the Plan…" Will, nostalgically… "Just grabbed what I needed and came in, fangs out…"

"Are you interested in why I'm going to kill my lovers or not?…" she fumed…

"Girl…Why are you playing this broken record?…" Will did his best to shake head… "We've met, remember?…Or did our destroying you and your army leave you with amnesia?…"

Lovers…She did say…Lovers…Angel noted to himself, pleased…

Not that I need another girlfriend right now…

"You just saw proof I'm the real Buffy…"

"Please…"

"Fine…" she came to him, waved to the demon crew…

He was lowered by a foot…And gasped suddenly as she grabbed and kissed him…

Mmmppphhhff…

She let go…Arch look…

"Was that a trick?…Or real tongue…?"

I did not need to hear that, Angel thought…

"Lovely…Come on…Buffy would join the Partners and overactingly want us dead…Why?…"

"Ah…" grin… "Now I got your curiosity…"

"That was sarcasm, girl…"

"Oh…" slightly crestfallen look…

"Still as we've nothing to do till sunrise…And you obviously are desperate to tell us all…" Will paused…

"That's making a girl feel wanted…"

"You're not a girl…And you're not Buffy Summers…But…" vague hand motion… "Give us the Speech, if you must…"

"I am Buffy Summers…" she frowned… "Of course…I'm the First, too…" she resumed her grin… "And all thanks to my dear Willy-boy…"

"I think she's telling the truth, Spike…" Angel frowned…

"Shut up, you pointy-haired idiot…" she glared…

"Though you are quite correct…"

"Crap…" Will sneered… "You vs. the Greatest Slayer of Them All?…Who whipped your lil' ass thoroughly last time?…"

"I did it for you, Will…" she glared… "And some thanks I get…Betraying everyone and thing I hold dear…Letting the First crawl right back into the world through me…"

"Which of course was always my real plan…" grin… "Though I was willing to give Caleb and the Uber-vamps their shot…"

"Uh-huh…"

"You don't believe me?…Geesh…Angel?…You believe me, right?…I sense it's kinda tearing your guts out…That I'd do something so incredibly…"

"Stupid?…" Will, politely…

"…I was gonna say self-sacrificing…" she frowned… "But fine, 'stupid', if you like…"

"You?…For him?…"Angel stared…

"Bw…Ha, ha, ha…" both Unmen burst into laughter…Rapid swinging and twisting…

"Jesus, guys…" she stared at the two rather dizzy vampires… "Even I can get that this was an incredible act of Love…"

"Buffy coming to LA with a hundred Slayers would be an incredible act of love, girl…" Will smiled… "She don't do possession…"

"She's been possessed…Angel, tell him how I got possessed by a ghost that time…What?…" she looked over to where a demon was waving an arm at her…

"Great…We only got ten minutes now…" she sighed…Damn…

"Better move it along, girl…" Will, helpfully…

Oh, fine…She waved over a demon from the pulley team…"Eh, have the guys bring them into that big warehouse over there…" she pointed…

Eh…Seven feet of something like fossilized pus…Nodded and complied…

"Must be quite a Speech…" Angel noted as the two, still hanging, were towed along toward and then into the large warehouse…

The LA block around them utterly devastated, burning …

"Ok…" the First/Buffy?…nodded…Smile to the boys now swinging rather widely, thanks to the dragging…

"Hey, stop them would you, I'm getting dizzy watching them?….Thanks…So… Now we got a little more time…"

"We should finish them now!…" one of the Senior Partners…One of the humanish, corporate types in suit…Insisted…

"I'm running this show!…" Buffy/The First?…glared… "And I'll say when we destroy my boyfriends!…Hey…" she grinned… "The ultimate female fantasy, eh guys?…"

"Right…So why don't you cut us down and let your ex-s…"

"Ex-?…Will?…Are you dumping me, now?…" she frowned… "Without even hearing the story of what I/she did for you?…"

"Buffy is with the Immortal and has moved on, girl…And I'm good with that…But kudos for a good try…"

"That miserable Andrew!…" she cried… "I shoulda killed him in Rome before I slipped out of England…Damn him and his little jokes!…Well, don't worry Will…I'll have a Slayer disembowel him before the next sunrise over there…"

They trust me kinda blindly, she explained… "Most of them…So what I say goes, even if it might sound a little Evil…Stupid, but along with my slightly diminished but still pretty fair persuasive powers…You know, Will…And that's of course how we'll rule the world through the Slayers…"

"So I'll just tell one of them Andy's returned to Evil, gut and stuff him'…No problem, Will…"

"Uh-huh…"

"I got Giles and the whole remaining Council under Slayer lock-and- key, awaiting trial and execution on my return…" she noted… "You can magine…I told the girls he didn't say a word about you to me, letting you and Angel die when we couldn't get to LA in time to save you … Wanted to control us forever like they always did…That sort of thing…"

"Sure…Fine plan…"

"Angel?…" she turned to face his face, hanging about two feet above her… "You believe me?…"

"She has been possessed, Will…And it sounds like a Partners' scheme…"

"Yeah?…Lemme get this straight?…You got Buffy to just hand over …"

"For you…" she insisted, eagerly…

"For me…Right…And she fell for it, let you in, and you're now about to do global mayhem in her boots…And this was the real plan all along… Not Uber-vamp uber alles…?"

"The Ubies vs. the US military…In daylight?…Come on, Will…Give me credit for half-a-disembodied brain?…A few smart bombs on wherever we were hiding by day and it's over… "

Point there…Angel noted…

"Hans Christian Anderson couldn't have written a more tragic one, girl… I'm weepin'…Now can we cut the crap and you do whatever you plan to do with us?…You know by now, the Council's gotta have figured out Angel's plan or at least noticed your handiwork in LA…And Buffy and several thousand Slayers must be on the way…"

"Some guys…" she glared… "You don't believe I cared enough?…You think I took up with His Pompousity?…That was Andrew's plan to divert attention…That was an actress-Slayer you saw with him…You know, the one who did those Scooby Doo movies…"

She did look like Buf…And she'd be hard up enough, Angel nodded… And Wells kept that secret from us in Rome?…Andrew Wells?…" Will chuckled…

"Giles told him to…You know how he worships Giles…Besides he thought it was hilarious after the way you left me hangin'…"

Literally, I mean…She noted…"They found me on the end of a rope one day…Too Slayer to choke and not enough knowledge of how to do the neck break so I didn't quite manage it…But while I was in the coma…"

Bwwha…Ha, ha, ha, ha…Angel and Will…

Her face fell…What?…

"Buffy tried to kill herself…Over me?…" Will sputtered as he continued laughing…

"Lady…I take it back…"Angel, chuckling… "I don't believe it…"

"You assholes!…" she shrieked… "William, do you know what I went through after you died?…Again…And when I found out about Cicely…"

This is gonna end badly…I feel it…The Senior Partner who'd spoken up before, hissed to his comrades…

Can't we just blow the building and apologize to her redisembodied lf later?…When she's out of Summers and her fully uncaring self again?…

"Fate Joe…" Mao, his comrade noted… "Fate…"

"Cicely?…" Will stared…

"Well, that's got your tongue…" she noted, crossly… "Yeah, Cicely…"

"Cicely?…" Angel repeated… "Was that the girl you were always going on about but never would go out with Dru to kill?…"

"Yeah…Cicely?…" Will frowned… "Are you trying to say Buffy was jealous of Cicely?…And cut a deal with you 'cause she didn't want me going after her in Heaven or something?…"

"What?…Heaven, No…" she shook her head…

"She went to the archives in London…To look up your last name for a headstone…"

"Nice…Have to thank her…"

"And the idiot Watcher there let her see the files on Cicely Addams Walthrop…Vampire Slayer…"

"What?…"

"Walthrop?…" Angel blinked… "Say, wasn't that your…?"

"William Soames Walthrop…Beautiful name…" she beamed…

"Why would she keep the name?…And what do you mean, vampire-Slayer?…"

"You were married to her?…" Angel stared… "And all that time I thought Dru was being irrational…I mean over her usual…"

"Vampire-Slayer…As in…How could I make such a terribly selfish decision as to love and marry a poor man who'll be vamp-fodder no matter how much I try to protect him…?"

"Really?…"

"You seeing the point at last?…I sent you away to save you…But my Watcher and the Council had other plans…"

"You?…"

"Me…"

"I'm confused…" Angel sighed…

"Like we're surprised?…" she sneered… "Too much blood rushing to that little brain…Guys, put them on the floor…I want 'em both up for this…"

I'm heading home for Hell now…Good luck, boys…Joseph sighed to his mates…Mao and Adolf eyeing each other…

"Maybe we better…" Mao suggested…

"I won't go back from LA…" Adolf insisted… "We must hold every inch of Earth…"

"It didn't work on the Eastern front, Dolf…It won't work here…"

Will and Angel, still trussed up, on the floor now…

"Either of you need some blood…Water…?" she asked…

"A little Marcus would be nice right now…" Angel suggested…

"Funny…" she frowned…Chairs…She waved to her demon crew who brought chairs over…

Thanks…Will told the demon hoisting him into a chair…

"You welcome…" the fur-clad female smiled demurely…Backing off at severe glare from her mistress…

"So where were we?…Oh, yeah…" the First/Buffy? resumed… "So I went to Giles, raging…Cursing…Holding him up by the throat with one hand…Boy, was I pissed…But you remember how he tried to kill you with soul, Will? …Now I knew the real reason he'd done that…And that he'd known about you all along…And that the Council had suspected I'd be back for you… And them…And that Buffy Summers seemed to fit the bill for a Cicely reincarnate very nicely…If not brunettely…"

"Wait…"Angel frowned… "So that means…"

"I was looking for a soulful…If not necessarily souled vamp…When we met…" she nodded… "And that the only thing really between you and me, ex-beau, is that you created the thing that killed my husband…"

Very disturbing turn of events for Buffy…As you can imagine…She noted to the boys…

"Caused the death of her husband…The condemnation of her husband…Dated the thing that helped to kill him…Let the Council hoodwink her again… Failed to help him when he was right in front of her, suffering, for years…Even when he got enough of himself back to love her…Even when he got his soul back without her help…And to top it all off…"

"You can see how this could lead to a major shift in thinking on her part…" she noted…

"She'd never sell out…Not even…"

"Oh, God, Will…You know me well enough to know I thought I could handle me…She/I offered a chance to save you if I agreed to let her have some access…I took the deal and she/I told me where you'd been all this time and the danger you were in…Thanks to our wanna-be Christ figure here…" glare to Angel…

"Unfortunately…Once you let me in…I've a way of taking root…I played the waiting game and didn't push…And over time her anger and sense of betrayal…And Giles' efforts to prevent me from helping you…Pushed me into the driver's seat…" she beamed…

"So I owe it all to my hubbie…"

"Great…" Will frowned… "Brilliant, Cicely…Another fine plan…I think I want a divorce…"

"What?…" her face fell…

He grabbed her, ropes loosened round him, falling off…

"Hey…" she and Angel startled…

"I met Houdini once…Got him a genuine séance with his mother in exchange for a few tips…" he noted…

"So dearest…I guess this means you can die now…" he told her…Rope about her throat…

My minions'll kill you!…" she cried…

"Ok, ma'am!…" Eh nodded…Waving to archers…

"Hold it!…" she screamed…

Fine…Eh frowned…

Ever since she went solid she's been so changeable…

"How much longer….?" Will hissed…

"Fifteen, I think…Xander's bringing them in from the south of the city…" she whispered back… "God, did you know all the time?…"

"Pretty much after you didn't kill us right away…You know you're playing with fire, girl…It is the First…"

"Thanks…" whisper… "Nice to get a little respect after the way…"

"I can hold her till the exorcism…" Buffy nodded…

"At least let me kill my partners…" she whispered… "They persuaded me on this one…"

"And Buffy promised I could stay for the wedding…"

**"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXVI... **

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (136) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

"You're out of your Undead mind..."

"Poof, we've no choice...We've got to take a risk..."

"A risk, Spike?...This isn't a risk...This is sheer suicide..."

"I like that...Angel, I happen to know what I'm about..."

"Right..."

"This is a sure-fire plan, Angel...And we can't go on like this, waiting for the inevitable end..."

"We've survived up to now...Illyria?...Gunn?..."

"Winifred..." Illyria corrected from her chair where she sat, decked out in Fredian dress...Extremely Fredian... "I don't mean to hurt anyone but you...Guys...All agreed..."

"Sorry, Winifred..." Angel sighed... "But you agreed this idea is insane?..."

"I don't know Angel..." Charley shook head...Will brightening at the support... "William may have something here...'Twilight' made a fortune and is still raking it in..."

"The last of what we scraped from the collapse of Wolfram-Hart after the LA battle?...On a book?...By him?..." Angel frowned at William...

"A book about zombies...?" he stared...

"Not just any run-of-the-mill zombies, Angel...Heroically redeemed, world-saving, romantic zombies..." Will noted, rather proudly...

"Oh, come on..."

"It's the untapped market, Liam..." Will enthused... "And best of all...Our main character is a woman...A heroine..."

"A zombie woman..."

"An Undead Heroine...Seeking her lost love..." Will beamed... "Defeating Evil while seeking to prove her regained...Well, semi-...Humanity...Repairing the damage she's done to others while unable to help herself...And of course the romantic quest..."

"Repairs the damage she's done...You mean, in eating brains?...Just how does she manage to repair that?..."

"We drop the brain-eating...It's passe anyway...She feeds off bioenergy..."

"Great...So how does she repair bioenergy sucking?...Her victims are dead, right?..."

"Ah, but in what form of dead are we talking?..."

"Ok...She goes round like some Undead Earl, what, finishing off her victims who are also zombies?..."

"Well...Sort of...But she restores them to a kind of normal life..."

"As domesticated zombies...?"

"I know of a lot of people who'd take their beloved ones back in any form not involving Evil and killing..." Will noted...

"And the sappy quest...?"

"I thought it romantic..." 'Winifred'/Illyria, a bit miffed... "William modeled the quested one on my Wesley..."

"Oh?..."

"Ummn..." William eyed Angel... "Yeah..."

"Oh...I see...So then the 'object of zombie desire' doesn't have blonde hair?..."

"No, certainly not...Brown hair..."

"And he's a scholar...From the nineteenth century..." 'Winifred'/Illyria noted...

"Really...?" Angel, thin smile at Will...

"Poet, by any chance?..."

"A very fine one..." she nodded... "Wesley did write poems, didn't he?..."

"All English scholarly types write poems, love..." William, hastily... "Of course, the character incorporates many different people...But the main thing is it's a star-crossed romance...That's always sure-fire..."

"But he's dead too, right?...Nineteenth century and all?..."

"Oh, yeah...But see, his soul hovers about, seeking to aid the love who killed him...Involuntarily of course...In her more Evil days..."

"Uh-huh..."Angel, frowning... "Who's gonna find a dead poet and a lumbering female zombie heroine an attractive couple...Wait?..."

"She's a Slayer, isn't she?...A zombie Slayer?..."

"We don't use the word...An Undead protector of Humanity..."

"I still see potential, Angel..." Charley noted... "We already have a studio interested..."

"What?..."

"I'm tellin' you, Angel...The gravy train is pulling up to our battered and weathered door..." William nodded... "We'd best be ready to hop on board...What?..." he eyed Angel's somewhat downcast face...

"It couldn't be vamps...?"Angel, reluctantly... "I mean, vamps are big now...At least on the screen..."

"Vamps have had their day...But they're passe now...We want to be on the cutting edge of the next wave...I see a TV series...The first season is all about our heroine's redemption..."

"From eating brains..."

Frown...

"Ok, from sucking bioenergy...And how does a zombie find redemption...Not to mention enunciate dialog besides...'Grrr, arrgh'..."

"Karloff's monster did it with hands and 'Grrr'...A fine actress...I'm thinking Hathaway, maybe...Can do the same...Besides a brilliant noble physician helps her recover some of her faculties midway through the story..."

"Well?..."

"Awful as it is..." Angel frowned... "I suppose..."

"Gunn, get Lorne on the phone and tell him we're in..."

"Great...So, who do we cast as her son?..."

"Son?..." Angel sputtered... "The zombie heroine has a son?..."

"Thought you'd like that touch..." Will nodded...

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXVII...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers?

Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you

no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (137) versions of events

following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through

to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca

verse at . ,

scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

LA…Offices of Angel, Gunn, Burkle-Wyndham-Price, and Walthrop…

Yesterday…

"Well, well, well.." frown…Brush back of blonde hair…

"Psst…I see dead people…" Buffy eyed the two before her… "They don't know how dead they are…"

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXVIIII...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers?  
Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you  
no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (138) versions of  
events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question"  
through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some  
are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca  
verse at . ,  
scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

Two figures on a suburban street corner…One overdoing all in poseur casual black…Jacket, shirt, trousers, shoes…Socks…Screaming… "Brooding schmuck"…The other in a tasteful mix of black leather jacket, red shirt, brown trousers…Urbane, yet just a touch of bad boy…

"Angel…" nod…

"Yeah…Say…Are you writing again, Spike?..." curious peek over shoulder…"

"Giving my old craft a whirl…Privilege of the human souled and heroic, you know…"

Hand put up… "I'm just glad to see it…And Nina and Lyri will be pleased…So, another poem?...What's it about?..."

"The empty hell of American suburbia…Speakin' of which…" he glanced round…

"Seems like a nice little town to me…And it's nice to be near the Atlantic again…" Angel noted…

"If you're going to take that tone, shouldn't you be in ice cream vanilla?..."

"Jesus…Give it a rest, will ya…Besides, you know I just don't want to stand out…"

"Right…And in that outfit who would suspect a brooding prince of dorkiness was lurking in their streets…"

"Spike!..."

"Look, I wasn't the one who dragged us here, across the country…"

"You sound like you don't even care…"

"Is that why we're here?...You're playing matchmaker?..."

"I'm concerned about her…And about you…"

"So there is no great threat to her Blondness and I've once again been put on a wild goose chase?..."

"No, certainly not…Well, not exactly…Will, do you think I'd leave my Nina and head here unless I thought there was something to beware…?"

"Really…" dryly… "God…She didn't ask you to bring me?...She's not round here, somewhere, waiting to tell me about the place I have in her heart…"

"She doesn't know we're here…Or about you, least from me anyway...Can't say as to what Andy Wells told her …"

"And we are here…Because?..."

Spike, it's a matter of life and death, I can tell you that much…"

""What…Bad dating choice again?...I thought she was still with the Immortal, she manage to drop the I for him and moved on to someone or –thing else?..."

"She's still with the Immortal…At least most of the time…" Angel noted…Slightly hesitant look…A former boyfriend not quite comfortable with revealing an ex-'s troubling secrets…

"Oh, like when she was screwing me like mad and still telling you you'd be together someday when the time was…Right?..."

"Spike…You didn't have the chip when Buffy and I were together…If you were screwing Buffy then, she'd be sipping warm blood with you at the Partners' Welcome Hell on Earth ball right now and I'd be ashes…"

"Damned straight…" sigh…

God, it sucks to have a soul sometimes…He eyed Angel…

"Look…Liam…I'm touched to the heart by this…You've more than earned 'Christ Jr. of 2010', lad…But you're beating an undead horse, poor thing…"

Hmmn…Angel eyed the attacking demon he'd been slamming to the ground as they walked and talked…

"Mercy, I'm just transport, sir…" the horse demon whimpered…

"Fine…" he released the creature who galloped… "Sucker!..." yell back…Arggh…Groan and crash of large bulk to ground as William tossed a nearby fence pole like a javelin…

"Thanks…" Angel nodded…

"Anyway, as I say…" Spike resumed as both resumed walking… "It's water under the bridge, Liam…I appreciate the kind thought…But…"

"You've moved on…"

"Shut up…That's crap fit for the same bin as 'tough love' for resouled psychotic vampires…But there's no point to this…You said she doesn't even know…"Lets just head home and leave Blondie, female, be…"

"For ole times sakes, Will…Can"t we just check this out?..."

"She can handle the Immortal, I'm sure…"

"I didn't say it was the Immortal who was the problem this time…"

'Oh?...Well, I guess that leaves God Almighty himself…A tall order but I am her Champion…"

"Spike…"

"Sorry, don't mean to get you in Dutch with the new boss…"

"Spike, if you knew what I've learned…And if it were definitely true…"

"If she's gone for Willow's ex-, the Wolfboy, I'm all for it…He's a fine lad and will make her very happy…And warm…All that fur…And nice for you and Nina…Social acquaintances who won't require that elaborate sneeking about and fumbles for the door to the locked room…"

"It's not Willow's ex-…"


	8. Chapter 8

"Immortal Beloved..." CXXXIX...

PG-13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan-fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and Chuck's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though my standard IB format, one of (139) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...Soemetimes as my BTVS readers know I use them as fragments to expand on for stories later) You can find the Buffy centric ones as "Immortal Beloved". This one however is a retread of IB 134 adapted as my first TBBT/BTVS cross…Strickly fun for celebrating Bloomsday tomorrow (6.16.12)…

Well, it was tomorrow when I started… (It will appear on the IB series as well as independently with my Sheldonverse BBT tales)...

Cal Tech subcampus …Evening adult extension class.

"Lit 311… "Shakespeare, Swift, and Joyce…A brief tour." written on the large chalkboard at the auditorium hall's front. Thirty-seven students scattered about the only room available.

"The word known to all men." written and underlined on the board. The instructor eyeing the class as best he could, given the scattering. A few, mostly women concentrated in the first two rows…A number clearly in hiding in the sides and rear.

"Right then…Nice to see a few of you have returned. To return to the theme we began at the end of class Tuesday '…the word known to all men…' in 'Ulysses'. We've established from the earlier passage in the National Library scene that the word Stephen wishes from his mother's ghost '…the word known to all men…' is love."

Oh, yeah…One young, tall, blonde-haired woman in rather more formal than her usual wear, blouse and slacks, in front row nodded eagerly at the young teacher, rather too-good-looking for such a class despite his sedate beige suit pausing before her.

That's that word…She noted to her companion on left, a brunette in rather sedate sweater, blouse, skirt.

The brunette nodding…Eyes fixed on the instructor. A slight…"Hum"…Emerging as she likewise stared.

The instructor briefly cast a smile at her, a bit nonplused by her eager stare, but even more so by the narrow look the brunette's seatmate to her left. He eyeing the instructor with an intense glare…Muttering a bit. Glare intensifying as the instructor resumed.

"Sheldon, keep still…" the brunette hissed as the instructor passed them . "And stop trying to explode Mr. Walthrop's head."

"Now the lines we discussed confirming that from the passage include a line conjoining two phrases from Thomas Aquinas's 'Summa contra gentiles', namely distinguishing between two forms of love. That unselfish love which in the first six words 'amor vero aliquid alicui bonum vult' genuinely wishes another's good and the selfish desire of one to secure pleasure for him- or her- self 'unde et ea quae concupiscimus'."

"Is this what impresses you? A couple of Latin phrases?" Sheldon hissed back.

"Enough." Amy hissed. "No one made you come. Just be quiet and listen." Quick smile at the instructor as he briefly eyed her.

"Yeah, can it, Sheldon. We're tryin' to learn something here." The tall blonde noted, whispering over the brunette.

Right…'Learn something'. What, his phone number and address? Sheldon, darkly…

Penny, the literary lioness…Uh-huh.

On the other hand…Despite it being a slight betrayal of my friend Leonard's trust. Luckily she's here to throw her promiscuous self at this charlatan of literature, lest Amy be ensnared.

Though as to Stuart's insistence that "this guy Walthrop is a vampire" based on bizarre web site and insane YouTube information and that we must save our respective significant others from him…Please. Even Leonard laughed his head off at that one…

Almost makes one believe the notion too many comic books can affect one's sense of reality. Thank God, that's clearly not true given mine and my colleagues' firm grip on the real world. Perhaps it's too much comic-com exposure to silly fantasy works like "Twilight" as opposed to sensible comic fodder like The Flash.

Besides…The fellow's short…Certainly too short to be a Dracula.

And I'll bet even the British accent is phony…

"Jesus…" one young man in the back, left side, reasonably secure from the teacher's direct attention, whispered to the short, lithe girl next to him. She even better hidden by a cement pillar… "He's giving us Latin now?"

"Shut up…" the girl whispered back.

The man frowned but, noticing that despite the distance the young brown-haired teacher was now clearly eyeing him, was silent, pulling back a bit in his chair.

So much for that…Girl's cute but just a bookhead. Like a lot of the girls in this damned class, he noted to himself.

Ah…Sides, she's wearin' a wig…Probably got cancer or something and she's all "soulful". Not worth the trouble…He resumed the doodling in his notebook he'd been at since the class' start. God, did that Howard guy in the comic book store steer me wrong on this class… 'Trust me. You'll get good lines to pick up girls. Nothing like tossing off a little Shakespeare or Joyce to get a girl thinking you're deep…Then you tell her you've just written the next 'Twilight' series', he said.

Uh-huh…What…Am I gonna quote Latin in a bar? And all the good girls exceptin' Ms. Snotface here are down there droolin' at the guy. He studied the tall blonde in the front row. Jesus, isn't that Kurt's old girl? "The actress" from Cheesecake Factory? What the heck's she doin' here? Wait, right. The one who hangs with the Hobbit nerds…And look at the two dorks she's with.

God, talk about watchin' who ya hang with…They look like the Wicked Bitch of the West and the Scarecrow.

"So we see the larger implications of 'Ulysses' follow from the accord of Bloom and Stephan Dedalus about love. If we consider the book as a whole, the theme of love will be seen to pervade it… 'Love's bitter mystery', quoted repeatedly from Yeats's poem 'Who goes with Fergus?' appears repeatedly, primarily as the song Stephen remembers having sung to his mother on her deathbed. Although Buck Mulligan is the first to quote the poem, he can't understand it, being a spirit that always denies. It's also alien to the experience of our womanizer Blazes Boylan. Yet Bloom understands it, and so does Molly, and both show us that they cherish moments of affection from their lives together as crucial points from which to judge later events."

Pen drop by a very young brown-haired woman in large hat, barely out of her teens if that, seated next to the lithe woman in wig in the rear. She leaned to pick up the pen, holding hat firmly. Glaring at the trio in the front row.

"That blonde is all over him, again." She hissed to the older girl in wig. "I told ya we oughta be down there."

The older girl shaking head…Eyes on the brunette, who'd demonstrated a far superior knowledge of the three authors and their works in question.

Buffy Summers nee Cicely Addams Walthrop knows the real competition when she sees it.

Besides…William keeps smiling at her, especially when she comes up with some long answer...Almost the only one in the class who seems to be able to keep up. And he always goes for substance over style…When not demon-possessed.

Fortunately, judging by the way the skinny geeky guy next to the brunette keeps giving William the death stare…And that sneering superior tone when he pops up to answer things… the girl's got a boyfriend.

" …In the last episode of the book, Molly Bloom, after some equivocation between her physical longing for Boylan and her thoughts of Bloom, comes down firmly on the side of Bloom and of their old feelings for each other. 'Ulysses' ends in a vision of reconciliation rather than of sundering…"

Sound of book hitting floor…Hasty grab by woman in wig…Dang…

"Joyce, following his master, Dante, has made the case for love. Love in its various forms, sexual, parental, filial, brotherly, and by extension, social…Obliquely, to preserve the novel from didacticism or sentimentality…Like Dante, he tells us that affection between human beings, however transitory, however qualified, is the closest we can come to paradise."

Oh…Yeah…Collective sigh from various women and men across the large auditorium…Gazes fixed on the teacher…He, catching, just a bit disconcerted for a second.

Sheldon, icy stare now…Fingers to forehead.

Hmmn…I could suspend disbelief and see if that UV projector Stuart got Howard to whip up actually works. Guaranteed effective as sunlight for killing vampires…IF they existed, you crazy loon…He'd told Stuart. Who'd insisted I take it anyway.

But Amy'd be angry if I gave the little poseur cataracts, I suppose.

Still, if I just shined a bit on a leg or arm…And he actually did burn…?

Cooper…Jealousy is burning out the circuits in your magnificent brain. Besides, the cross Stuart tried last night didn't have any effect. Nonsense. And that ridiculously lame explanation he got from his "occult informant", that Andrew fellow afterward. 'Spike's got his soul back, he's ok. We got him a spot teaching in Pasadena."

Much more sensible to focus on exploding his brain…Sheldon nodded to himself. Or perhaps a little more persuasion in the form of my patented ju-jitsu moves…

Vampire indeed… And what a name for a vampire… "William the Bloody" nicknamed "Spike".

Please. Now, "Dracula" or even "Lestat"…There's a name for a vampire. Or that other one Stuart mentioned…Another one supposed to have soul…And no doubt, rhythm, too. Angelus? Even that's better.

Ummn…The instructor caught sight of the young woman usually hidden by the pillar…She staring back a second, hastily pulling up her copy of 'Ulysses' to conceal face.

"Ummn…Yes…That this affection may at times lose its force does not invalidate it. Dante claimed that Adam and Eve's paradise lasted only six hours and Proust reminds us that the only true paradise." he stared again, a moment…

"…is the one we have lost…But, the word know to all men has been defined and affirmed, regardless of whether or not it may be subject to diminution."

"Profound, isn't he?" Amy leaning to Penny, whisper.

"Yeah, beautiful…" Penny nodded. "I mean, 'profound'. Say, how do you spell 'Aquinas'?"

"You might try spelling it L-e-o-n-a-r-d." Sheldon hissed…Glare.

"Say, he's good…" Dawn hissed. Pulling hat down as the instructor eyed her as well.

Jesus…William blinked.

Yeah…She grinned back. It's us, Walthrop. And damned about time you caught on.

"He went to Cambridge…" Buffy replied, a tad proudly, adjusting her brunette wig.

"How do you spell 'Aquinas'?" she whispered.

"Immortal Beloved..." CXL...

PG 13

Disclaimer: If ya are fan fic writers, where's your disclaimers? Disclaimers? We ain't got no disclaimers...I don' need to show you no stinkin'...No, Joss, no...I make no claims, put that thing down!

It's all yours and ME's...

Spoilers for Angel to the bitter end...Flee at once!...

Summary: Though the standard IB format, one of (140) versions of events following the end of Angel S5 episodes from "Girl in Question" through to "Not Fade Away" and beyond... (Not a continuous story, though some are multipart...)

Archived (soon) at the 'Normal' Buffyverse page of the Buffy Rebecca verse, scroll down to "Immortal Beloved" series ...

"William!..." Buffy, fuming…

"No, really…Buffy…I'm a…" hic, hic… "…vegetarian…" hic, giggle… "And like my theme song says, I've…" hic… "…Loved you for a thousand nights…Years.." hic…

"Ed…" Spike sighed, putting hand on shoulder… "I think you've had enough…Party's over, mate…Time to head for ye ole crypt pillow…"

"Spike…" Buffy grimly… "I know he's an old classmate you turned and feel responsible for and his human girl is trying to save him and he's kept off human blood for her sake but…There are limits…"

"Jesus, she's all the nineteeth…And I mean, teeth…Century bitch you tole me about, Spi…" hic…Edward frowned…"Can't believe you're gonna…" hic… "…marry her again…" hic…

"Pre-soul, pissed at Cicely…" William hissed to the dark-clouded Buffy facing him… "Eddie, time to go home to Bella…"


End file.
